Took the promo from EatClub to revisit this Thai restaurant. We have not been back after it’s re-location from Chinatown Mall to the Brunswick Street Mall. From my grapevine, this premise has owned by the restaurant owner purposefully for its relocation.
Honestly, it took a long time to digest the broad range of food listed on the menu. Finally, we decided to go for a Bangkok Set, which includes bbq prawns, Tom Yum Chicken Soup, stir-fried chicken with ginger and steamed rice. In addition, we added a dish of this home-made Thai sausage.
CP ratio of the Bangkok set is good. All the dishes are very tasteful. Thai sausages are grilled to perfection and surely they taste very authentic.
At the end, we got some beef and pork jerky to take away for out TV snacks.
It is a very good Thai restaurant in Chinatown. Recommended.👍
I had been thinking about trying this place for a long time since I walk in front of it almost everyday but had never found an opportunity to do so until a couple of days ago.
I ordered spring rolls, green curry and one stir fried noodles.
The spring rolls were golden and crunchy but far from the best ones I've tried before. Would rate it a 3 out of 5.
The Green Curry again was enjoyable but not even close to being one of my favorite around Brisbane. Would also rate it a 3 out of 5.
The stir fried noodles (Guay Teaw Pad Kee Maw) was probably my favorite from the last visit, it had just the right amount of spiciness to my liking and I would come back again for this one dish. Would rate it a 4 out of 5.
Overall I can see why this restaurant has been around for so long but wouldn't be my first option.
Wow! A good price for amazing food! The servings are always quite generous. Thai Wi Wrat serves quantity and quality. We have been visiting this delicious Thai restaurant for years, but we never get tired of their beautiful food and well mannered staff. Their setting is spacious and has plenty of elbow room. Gets a bit noisy on weekend nights, but that's not something you're able to control. Great job Thai Wi Wrat!
Pretty standard thai food. Quite traditional but just alright in terms of taste. Doesn't transcend your tastebuds but it still satisfies and fills your tummy. Overall pleasant little spot suitable for families. Good pricing.
Food taste yum. However the portion is quite small according to the price. I don't know if it's because I ordered take away, the food is only 2/3 of the box while other Thai restaurants offer full box food.
Wonderful Thai food
After a unremarkable first visit to this restaurant in September 2017, we decided to try Thai Wi-Rat again . My husband and I were on our own this time so we were able to order the food to our specific taste - Thai hot with less sugar. We had a tom yum prawn soup, som tum (green papaya salad) with seafood and a pad ped ka mhoo (stir fried pork leg in chilli paste) with a serve of sticky rice. The food was just sensational and it was a world away from our first visit. The staff were super friendly and helpful and BYO for $3.00 per head was a bonus!! We'll be back to try some different dishes!
4 September 2017 Rating 4
This restaurant on the Brunswick Street Mall serves good (but not remarkable), reasonably priced Thai food and the service is good with very friendly staff. BYO was a bonus!
My Thai friend took me to one of her fav Thai rest and it was really great!! there are a variety of traditional Thai food.. friendly waiter, tasty food.. pork larp was amazing!!! price is reasonable too.. We did ordered dine in food as well as take away in the beginning (we were first table of the day as we went rest like 1730ish) so we thought we do not need to wait our take away and straight to home after we finish dinner. however, when we finished dinner and went to counter to pay bill, they did not even start cooking our take away food.. we saw they cooked foodra take away first and made us wait around 30 mins.. it was delicious food but i did not appreciate that they did not even say sorry to us.. I would love to come back to for dine in food but never for take away..
Fav Thai/Laos restaurant hands down. I've nearly tried everything on the menu and I do not have even one negative thing to say. They pack their dishes with veggies (which is SO rare!), the flavours are perfect, produce is fresh and the service is always friendly and attentive. Cheap, cheerful and freaking delicious! Oh and BYO is the cherry on top.
Their Thai food is definitely authentic and tasty! Best pad Thai in the valley for sure. Being BYO, it's a great little spot to sit, sip and people watch the pedestrians of Brunswick Street at night. We dine here often.
Fantastic food, quick and friendly service. Very authentic Lao/Thai, great flavours in the herbs, especially in the Larb and salady dishes. Oh yeah - medium hot was definitely enough for two seasoned Asia travellers, choose the hot Larb at your own risk :)
This is a hidden gem! They make an amazing Massaman curry and price wise it is very very reasonable. This place is BYO too although atmosphere isn't their strength. Also ordered the green curry with chicken and chicken Panang. Both were nice but the Massaman is what we'll be coming back for. The satay chicken was really nice too.
Korat set for the win!
I have been dining here for the last 12-14 years. I really enjoy their welcoming and down-to-earth hospitality :)
The food is always brilliant: rustic, well seasoned and delicious. Please note, their food isn't the typical Thai that you get everywhere; it is more like Laos food. Value-for-money is excellent. I often get the Korat set; nobody else does Som Tum (papaya salad - I highly recommend it, and get it super spicy if you are brave enough) as well as they do!
Verdict: great if you like the true peasant style Thai (Laos) food.
This place used to be in a run down old shop in the Chinatown mall but they have recently changed their venue to a much nicer premises. The service isn't anything spectacular, can be a little slow at times but the food here is great, and excellent value for money. You can feed two people for under $30 quite easily here. The red curry is one of my favourites, so flavoursome and meets the standard of those I ate and loved in Thailand. Personally I'd say this is my favourite Thai in Brisbane, definitely worth a try.
Very tasty Thai food in a convenient location. Service was great and prices are reasonable. Had the Pad Thai which had a grea flavour and was very fresh.
I have tried four dishes from here as I thought a couple might not be as good as i thought. Wrong! All the dishes was exceptionally tasty and flavourful. We had Thai fish cake, Yellow Curry Chicken, Satay Skewers and Basil Chilli Chicken. Would definitely come back again.
This restaurant is just perfect 😍 from the food perspective. The place is not pretty - but the food is amazing.
Service is just so-so...have to self order and self pay. But the price fits,so yea, it doesn't matter at all
I live in Bangkok with my Thai partner and this is one of the scant handful of legit Thai restaurants in Brisbane. If you are used to western style Thai food (which is absolutely nothing like Thai food) then you won't be impressed. There is no sweet and sour pork and beef black bean on the menu. If you like the authentic stuff, with an emphasis on Isaan food, this is for you.
Particularly good, the som tam thai, sticky rice, num tog (beef and pork are excellent) and grilled chicken (gai yang)
It's cheap and fantastic.
The flavours here were so rich, complex, and delicious! Loved their noodle soups and their stir fries. I wouldn't be surprised if street food in Thailand and Laos tasted exactly like this.
Only let down was the staff member at the front forgetting any orders not made by the kitchen (drinks, and pre-made desserts). Service is definitely not their strong suit.
Then again, it's got the food spot on.
Amazing food and the most authentic thai we've had in brisbane. Service was lovely and food exceptional and at a reasonable price too. This has been our thai restaurant of choice numerous times now. Careful with your chilli rating: This is mild thai hot, medium thai hot and hot thai hot.
This is the other one also located in Fortitude Valley but can't really find the new info so just update here.
They have extensive menu. However we didn't order much cuz we only got two people. Here is what we had:
Raw Prawn Salad: the prawns are fresh however the sauce is nice but too salty. I hope next time they can adjust a bit, I love this dish so much.
Pad Ki Mao: well cook, all the veggies are cooked. Sometimes I got raw carrots or broccolis which really annoys me. The flavour is good not too strong but a bit greasy.
Grilled catfish: love the crispy skin, the sauce is tasty, it marries well with the fish.
They are more like a family restaurant, simple but authentic flavour. If you feel like a causal eat here is a place to go.
I had a chance to try Stir Fried Beef Pad Med Ma Meung and my friend had Pad Thai. The stir fried dish is really sweet and salty at the same time, luckily I ordered rice to eat with it and it went very well. But my tongue is quite tired of its over sweetness. For myself, the food is not really surprised. My friend also said the Pad Thai is just stops at normal standard. And I hope they can improve the decoration on the food to make the first impression to the customer.
They have Thai Milk Tea, which the flavour is pretty new for myself and worth to try.
Fantastic authentic Thai dishes at affordable prices. Whilst the restaurant is a little small, don't be put off... Cause the meals that come out of this restaurant are mouth watering!
Thai Wi-Rat Thai-Lao Food has moved to Brunswick Street
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Their new location not too far from the old place on Duncan street. Thai Wi-Rat Thai-Lao Food has moved to at 221/247 Brunswick Street Mall Fortitude Valley Brisbane Queensland 4006 with a good atmosphere, bigger & brighter better setting very nice design. Their food is really fresh, authentic Thai/Lao food and the service and quality remain the same.
Came here with friends for dinner. Dine outside as inside was full. Good service. Food took a while to come out.
Tried their sticky rice, crying tiger, sum tom thai and some curries. All food are yummy. Must say it is above average. Portion can be bigger for the price but I guess that is typical Thai restaurant.
Bottomline : Great food, good service, fair value.
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Thai Wi-Rat in the Chinatown mall seems to be a Brisbane institution for Thai/Laotian food with long queues at lunchtime and many glowing online reviews from diners. As an out-of-towner, I had set my expectations relatively low for Asian food as it is after all a smaller city than Melbourne or Sydney. For me it was bit of a mixed bag or should I say, more of 2 separate menus - the Westernised "lunch specials" list like Pad Thai and stir-fries (all very affordable from $9-12), and the more expensive "Thai Thai menu" with more authentic and spicier dishes (all my terminology). On 2 separate occasions, I tried their 2 lunch specials from the former; namely Pad Kee Maw (spicy "drunken" noodles) and then their Thai chicken rice. The noodles were a tad overcooked and flaking, and didn't have much flavor at all. The Thai chicken rice fared better, with moist and fragrant chicken stock infused rice but was slightly let down by the rather dry breast meat and a very small plate of chilli sauce. I then decided to take a punt and order from their regular menu and chose the Yum Nuea Num Tog or Laotian beef salad. It was superb - a large serve of thinly sliced grilled steak marinated in a spicy sour lime and fish sauce, and peppered with roasted ground rice which gave it a smoky flavor. They also have a number of Thai set dishes at the back of the menu which look intriguingly authentic. Based on my experience, I would recommend skipping the regular lunch specials and delve into less well known Thai/Laotian dishes instead. It's worth it.
I have dined here a few times and have never been dissapointed with the food! The food is fresh, tasty and definitely authentic. Staff are lovely to deal with. I would definitely recommend.
Pretty authentic thai food.. Ordered pad thai, laska, thai milk tea and tom yum.. It would be prefect if they can add some chilli to make the soup spicier but for ppl who doesnt take spicy food, it would be just right.. The ambience of the restaurant does make me feel like i m in bangkok..
The Invisible Food Critic
+4.5
I dare to say that this place could be one of the most authentic thai restaurants around in Brisbane. Thai dishes are supposed to be simplistic while packed of traditional herbs and spices to bring out the culture's flavors. Dining here brings me back to Thailand where dishes have not been adjusted to suit western-style tastes. Awesome execution in bringing back raw thai flavors into Brisbane!
Pad Ce ew was delicious, and BYO was great. Word of warning though, when you ask for hot it is HOT! Others at my table had the som tum and the larb and they couldn't finish it due to the heat, so perfect for those who like the heat!
I love the food here! Tom Yum soup is my absolute favourite!
Good enough for rock stars!. I love this place. I have eaten here many times and have never been disappointed. Even my husband, who doesn’t usually like any kind of ‘ethnic’ food found something he liked on the menu. The food is always tasty and great value for money. Service is quick and you can always get a table. Even the Smashing Pumpkins got takeaway food from this place when they were here for Soundwave 2015.
Close to authentic. Been to Thailand & can say it's pretty good. Value for money. Shame it's not table service.
Best thai in bris. Our go to thai restaurant. Really disappointed to find they were closed until the middle of this month. Gets crazy busy and you can be waiting a long time to line up and order but if you reserve a table they provide table service. But definitely worth the wait! I always go for the som tum thai (papaya salad) *delish* Just make sure you order one spice level down to what you normal order bc they make it hot hot hot here!
Only good for issan selections. Thai dishes are terrible, however if you order the issan or laos food it's spot on! only bad thing is the portion size has been getting smaller whilst prices are increasing...which means I hardly ever return here again.
10/10. The staff here are super lovely and there's something about the atmosphere which I love. Sure, it's nothing fancy but it's a very social setting allowing big groups to sit outside and bring a few bottles of wine or you can sit inside if you wish. We had the chicken pad Thai, beef massaman and the pork pad khing. All three dishes were unbelievably delicious, reminded me of the food I had in Thailand rather than your over coconut-creamed suburban Thai restaurant takeaway curries. For all three of us (we got rice and a drink each), the bill came to about $51. Will definitely be frequenting this place!
Pork pad Thai with a deep fried egg was absolutely delicious. Will be coming back again.
Very authentic Thai Laotian food. Many dishes I could find here that I am use to having back home which is wonderful. They don't conform their dishes to meet mainstream taste. Very quick service, food came out hot, good size portions and good prices. If you want tasty, authentic real Thai / Laos food come and try here. Relaxed and casual setting. Nice intimate setting for a fun night out with friends and family. Also BYO! And open late 7 days a week
Yam yum sen seafood salad & sticky rice & thai milk tea.....when you want to try real thai food, this meal is perfect. Oh Select 'thai spicy' not mild if you dare.
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Thai Wi-Rat - Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. In the Chinatown mall, just on the fringes of the actual Chinatown is the only place in Brisbane where you can try Laotian. This is nearly as authentic as it gets, with a bit of decor around but nothing really ostentatious. Not wanting to fall into the trap of the usual curries and stir fries, my dining buddy was interested in the best examples of what to try that is Laotian to get a taste for it, along with more northern Thai. This is a place to return to to show people just how much more there is, and to be adventurous.
He had read extensively about the place, and a little on Laotian cuisine, and my dining buddy had a few things on his hit-list to try from here. After perusing the menu at the counter, one of us had noted the set meals which two between them covered most bases.
The two set meals were called "Korat" and Surin". Both came with sticky rice (which comes in a separate wicker container, and is a perfectly substantial size). In the Korat meal, the combo was som tum soup, grilled chicken and korat noodles; the surin had a bamboo shoots salad, sai grog E-san (a special kind of Laotian sausage) and tom sab.
Despite us two are big eaters and have gone through an large amount of food without much worry before on numerous occasions, this meal managed to stump even us. Two set meals, likely made for the interest of the people of the cuisine, managed to be too much; there was a couple of doggy bags needed. In retrospect, perhaps it should have been decided against in getting the coconut prawns as an appetizer.
The amount of food was such a shock initially. Of course, being reasonable the initial seating was at a table for two; once all the items came out it got difficult to put all of them on a table. With some consideration and request from the waitress, all the items were moved to a bigger table - spread out and ready for a feast.
Except for the juicy prawns at the start of the meal, Thai Wi-Rat is nothing like the Thai that is familiar across the suburbs; the flavours are more subdued and nebulous. It has a more natural taste, which allows you to appreciate the quality of the items and each component of the meal. I was most taken by the sausage, and the chicken and how they were well-cooked and delicious with none of the smokiness that comes from long amounts of grilling.
The salads tasted a little odd on their own; combined and mixed with the meats it went very well. One tip here is that there is no need to try the hottest of the hot, because they do not kid around with spice.
A couple of times, I went to order a Thai iced coffee. Ordering a second one is testament to how good they are, this time it was still sweet but not overtly sweet. There is only so much new to say about it, but one constant is it always cools you down and is a pleasant drink.
With really good service here, I - by impulsion - just emptied out my coin purse into the tip jar to show my appreciation for this place. This I found not to be no-frills with service, as there is the familiar smiling going on. It is a great place to go on a budget, especially for poor students; they are likely to have at least another meal on hand after they are done.
Is it the best Thai around? Probably not, but it deserves higher lauding for doing something different to the others and actually succeeding. However, it is also about going beyond being different in the food and having an all-round good place with a chosen atmosphere and efficient service. The food is one that will be hard to forget, and it won't be for all tastes. The best way to decide that is to try for yourself; you won't regret it.
There's definitely something wrong with this place. The food doesn't taste wrong but it looks very wrong in a bad 80s suburban australianised asian food way.The ordering system Iis convoluted and weird. But overall it has a strange charm. I'd go back, even if they didn't have Loatian beer.
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Isaan Street Food. This is the most Authentic Thai Restaurant in Brisbane.
If you like the real food that Thais eat.The menu here can remind you of eating off the street stalls or outside the local market upcountry Thailand.Its all standard fair for the old Thai hands.If you dont have a lot of experience with Thai Food then try the Sets on the Menu.Each representative of different Areas in Thai.
Sticky rice is whats eaten with most meals.Coconut rice is for desert only.
Order some Larb , some Isaan sausage , pork skewers or bbq chicken and som tum.Be adventurous.
Save the Curries and Chicken and Cashew for another Restaurant.
And if you havent tried "Beer Lao" your missing out on on one of the best beers out of Asia.Its my Favourite.
If youve been to Thailand and dont eat off the streets or aren't even a little adventurous with what you like to eat then this Not the place for you.
I really have to mention this one point and this doesnt happen often but on occasion they can suffer from inconsistency with their meals.Ive been going to Thai Wi-rat since they were a hole in the wall set up in the old snooker hall (chopsticks arcade from memory) across the road at the bottom of the mall.It happens very rarely but I see a few posts on here where this could be the cause of the posters negative remarks.
Great delicious food, cheap and quick. Wish we had dessert but atleast gives us a reason to return. Thanks guys!
Weeknight dinner. Went here with some South American friends for a cheap and easy meal and ended up having a fantastic time. We chose Thai Wi Rat because it has great spicy food and they certainly didn't disappoint this time! We especially loved the Tom Yum soup and the chicken larb. I would also recommend choosing a banquet if you are dining in a larger group. Great value for money :-)
Went for dinner with about 6 friends here on Friday night. We called a few Thai places in China Town but this was the only place we could get into on short notice. The actual restaurant is pretty basic but the food was great and really well priced. For all six of us it was $120. The fact it is BYO probably helped that as well. Relaxed atmosphere and the staff were super friendly and helpful. They also have little bowls of pork crackle for $1 which you can add to any meal. I would definitely go there again.
Excellent. Used a Scoopon - amazing value - prices good even without a voucher. Place was very busy on a Sunday evening and you have to order at counter which took a little while but any wait was worth it. The chilli catfish with rice was great (watch out for the bones but that's catfish I guess). No problem with portion size but that did seem to vary between different dishes. Didn't leave hungry!
To put it simply, awesome Thai food at a great price and fantastic portion size.
I almost cried when I first visited Wi Rat.. I was absolutely devastated no-one told me about this little gem sooner. Great value sets and if you love HOT chili then you have just found your crack dealer!
Can never seem to go past the some tum. Always ask for seriously Thai hot and they manage to hit the spot. Cat fish is a winner, pork belly some tum on specials menu is my favourite. Great staff, always busy, oh and don't forget the sticky rice! Yum.
Amazing. This place is amazing - I have taken all my friends here, and they all become converts. Now they bring all their friends here, like a pyramid scheme of restaurant recommendations.
Outstanding! Best Thai I've had in a very long time.
Excellent food and great chilli !!! We will be back for sure !!!
Tasty Thai. Delicious, authentic Thai food and great value for money. BYO is a bonus!
Don't be discouraged by the fulungs.
The food here is top notch, and a authentic Thai Lao food. This place is not your "pop up packet noodle" run of the mill Thai restaurant. They have authentic menu items and even though it feels that they have pushed the authenticity as far as the clientele will accept, you sense that given free range, this restaurant can go all out and really impress not sure if Brisbane is ready for som tum with pa dak and fermented crab yet, but if they were Thai Wi Rat would be the place to order it.
Great food awesome atmosphere and very well priced- please note the author was heavily panting and sweating profusely after asking for his son tum with crispy pork- extra hot!
Will be back !
Fun, cheap. You have to be prepared to wait a little while for your meal because this place gets packed on weekends, but the food is great and so is the price. A word of warning: the salads are SUPER spicy. If you order one make sure to get something you can use to douse the flames.
Fresh, Tasty, Value. Thai Wi Rat is a great cheap and cheerful restaurant in Brisbane's China Town. Reminds you that eating out should not be that expensive. Fresh, wholesome food doesn't have to cost the earth!
They have a good selection of veggie options that aren't just poor cousins of their meat alternative. Veggies were fresh and crispy. My noodle Tom Yum could have been a lot spicier but that may just be my fiery seeking palate.
Dine in & take away available.
I'm sure we'll be going back before we leave.
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Authentic Thai with Oz quality veg. Thai Wi-Rat is placed in the "cheap" eats category within Urbanspoon (but far from nasty!). So, it’s not "fine" dining. It is situated in the heart of China Town Mall; seatings inside & outside, casual, tidy & clean. Ambiance is busy, bustling and noisy as it’s a popular, crowded restaurant. It is a licensed restaurant and has pretty good ranges of alcohol. You can BYO wines and pay corkages.
Yes, you must line up, order & pay. This system works well with Thai Wi Rat due to its popularity & busyness. The Thai staff there are polite and friendly, but will be frazzled at times when its full house, especially Thursday-Sunday.
Its serving size is not going to fill up an overweight or huge sporty person. It’s cheap enough to get two dishes per person, so you can be adventurous with your taste buds. You want to be full, ask for extra rice.
My mother (63) & I (44) are Thai. We live between Brisbane & Thailand. Thailand stretches long and is neighboured by Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia & Malaysia. Fried rice, curries, or whatever dish, will vary in taste from region to region, due to availability of products, and simply, individual preference. There are parts of Thailand that serve fried rice with cauliflower and broccoli (central Bangkok & Phuket), some places with egg mixed in, whilst other places serves with fried egg on top; some do it automatically, other regions will ask you; some use black soy, others white soy and even a combination. Thai food changes ALL the time, even the so called traditional dish will be tweaked because of cultural influences, whether by Westerners, Laotians or Malaysian Indians. The annual Food Festival in Thailand is evidence of how many different variations there is of a “red curry”! Depends who is making it and which region they come from.
In Oz, we are fortunate to get great quality meats compared to Thailand. So, Thai Wi-Rat's meat dishes are fabulous. The Thai’s don’t waste much and usually meat dishes include bones and offal. Thai Wi-Rat does have offal options, but meat dishes are mostly served boneless. There are lots of vegetarian options too. Again, Thai Wi-Rat tweaks some dishes based on availability of local products.
Thai Wi Rat is authentic Thai, in that it offers the essential combination of flavours (salty, sweet, spicy, sour) found in most parts of Thailand; in particular with Laos influence, because one of the main cook is Laotian. The more north of Thailand, the less spicy, the food.
We and many local Thai-Brisbane communities, agree unanimously, that Thai Wi-Rat is currently an authentic Thai cuisine and the best in Queensland. Darwin and Melbourne also have a Thai Wi-Rat equivalent.
Approximately 13 yrs ago Thai Wi Rat was based in a food court/eatery on Wickham St. until the building was gutted. They moved to their current location and started as a hole in the wall. So flavoursome is Wi & her partner’s food, they obtained the building next door and grew to the current size. They hire Thais and nationals from bordering Thai neighbour’s (i.e. Laos) in the kitchen, thus the taste variations in dishes.
Tip: Don’t like crowds - Go on week days.
You want romantic ambiance – do your research.
Don’t like spice – ask for no chilli (better still go to MacDonald’s).
You want big servings for cheap - go to USA.
Sawadee
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You don't come for the usual Pad Thai or Green Curries. Because that is not what they specialize in. Actually, the cooking can be a tad inconsistent at times. But to some of you who complain about the perceived inherently bad quality of food at this eatery and how it isn't good authentic Thai because Thai Wi-Rat can't get the only Thai-style noodles you will ever eat in your lifetime right, I'll repeat what many of the reviewers have already pointed out.
You should come for the gai yang (grilled chicken), som tam (papaya salad), tom sab (hot and sour beef soup), the nam tok, the larb (minced meat salad), the char-grilled catfish, the many varieties of yum salads which include deep fried eggs and fish bladder, fermented sour sausages and so forth. Eat all of that with sticky rice and with your hands, jasmine rice is acceptable, but forget about saccharine sweet coconut rice because that is meant for dessert! What I've recounted is Isaan food, which overlaps a great deal with Lao cuisine, and hence why they also call themselves a Lao restaurant.
I don't think there's anything wrong with the value and portion size. Yes, it's smaller then what most Brisbane Thai eateries dish out...and about the portions you would expect to get in Thailand. And it's priced accordingly too...notice how each dish is at least a few dollars cheaper then what you get elsewhere in Brisvegas?
Yes, service is mostly woeful and the ambience is lacking. But that's not what you're supposed to go there for. And that's not what most of the homesick Thai expats I know of who continue to faithfully support this establishment are there for.
So...if you come and order the usual Thai takeaway fodder and walk away disappointed, you only have yourself to blame. There's plenty of bad Thai food in Brisbane as it is, and they cater for people like you. Thai Wi-Rat is still the most authentic Thai eatery in Brisbane not because they have the best cooks, but because no other Thai restaurateur in town have the iron guts to take the big risk the founder ladies have by opening up a Thai eatery in Brisbane which dares to offer unusual regional food and doesn't westernize or dumb down anything.
Better the second time around. So this was our second visit to this restaurant and I must say after our first dining experience we left feeling like it was just ok. On returning for the second time last night, we found the food a lot better. We did of course order different things this time, such as the roast pork, roast duck and beef massaman curry and all were very tasty. I would definitely go again.
Thai Street Food in Australia. Lovely dinner last night with the value for money korat meal. the korat noodle reminiscent of pad thai but sweeter and less tangy and without the prawns and peanuts was not bad but a little stingy on the ingredients. the grilled chicken and som tam (i asked for crispy pork to be added for an extra $5) was delish. Medium hot was still spicy but just right for myself. Definitely toned down from the versions I've had in Bangkok. The som tam was just a tad bit sweet for me but still good. As I was walking out, i saw their own staff tucking into a som tam with salted crabs (just like the type i remember in Bangkok, now that just describes how authentic this place is). I asked them about the sweetness and if it was because it was made sweeter to suit the western tastebud but they informed me that som tam can be sweet, sour or salty depending on the taste of the person. I'll be ordering the salted crabs and a less sweet som tam next.
Good food, inconsistent. Was told how great this place was by a friend and the first time I tried it was seriously underwhelmed.
Went there together and the difference between the 1st visit and the 2nd was night and day. Glad I went back but if it wasn't for my friend practically dragging me there I would never have gone back. Most of the time very good, should be very good all of the time.
Been here a couple of times. Love the food and is cheap!
Best Thai food in Brisbane. I'm Thai and this is the best Thai food I've had in Brisbane. Food is genuine Thai. I love the meal sets that you can get, these are reasonably priced. Also love the paw paw salad and Thai iced tea. Food isn't always consistent but still good.
Reminds us of Laos. We love going here for the authentic northern Thai and Laos food. Great spicy food to have with a beer
Love the Rat. Amazingly good food despite the ambience and decor. Service was quirky but the food more than makes up for it. Will definitely come again,
10 out of 10. Fast service, friendly people, yummy food!!
Loved it!
I'm not usually a Pad Thai fan, but their Pad Thai was DELICIOUSSSSS!
Wi-not?. Some of the best thai in brizvegas n i lived in thailand for 7y! aloy mukmuk!!!
So yummy and cheap. You must go.
Fantastic noodle soups and Lao food!. Great range of delicious and authentic noodle soups and Lao food - loved Lao food since I visited Laos a few years ago but ti's hard to find in Aus... Very good value for money and lovely, friendly service. I always try to visit this place when I'm in Brisbane!!
Cheap & Delicious Thai Laos. Cheap & delicious genuine Thai & Laos food in the heart of Fortitude Valley.
Update: New location on Brunswick Mall is more visible and bigger, however the acoustics is not very good, it is very noisy and you need to yell for conversation. Food still packed with punch as before! :)
Hot is HOT!. Great authentic dishes and very reasonable prices. The fried egg salad and Som Tum are great for a quick lunch.
I grew up on spicy S/E Asian food but if you order your dishes hot here expect some serious heat!
Great authentic Thai food.. I'm Thai and I always eat here. The 'Korat set' is awesome. In my opinion, it's the most authentic Thai food I've had in Brisbane (and I've tried a lot of restaurants). And it must be true because it's always full of Thai people. The only down side is the service, but I don't mind because the food is so worth it.
LAOS!. I have been in love with Laotian food since my trip to Laos and this place does it well. :)
Delicious, honest, low cost Thai food. Went here for a casual work lunch last Friday and was impressed with the fast service and authenticity of the food. It's a simple, cheap place to eat but the food is real (not some Aussie take-away version of Thai) and everyone's meals tasted great (I had the massaman curry). Next time I want simple, tasty Thai food I'll be back.
Cheap, consistently decent Thai dishes that taste fresh. Will return.
Good Thai, No Frills. It's certainly not the kind of place for a fancy night out, but for reasonably priced, authentic and flavoursome Thai, Thai Wi Rat is hard to beat.
Presently the location is TERRIBLE with the mall being under construction. Once this is finished though it should be very attractive.
Fairly nondescript asian decor, and very average wine list, but the food is consistently good across the menu. I'd recommend for a weeknight dinner.
Refreshingly different. If your experience of Thai food is your local takeaway offering spring rolls, yellow curry and pad than then you need to try Thai Wi-Rat at least once. The menu features some of the usual Thai suspects, but to order those would be to miss out more interesting and unsuual (for Brisbane Thai places anyway) options like som tum (green papaya salad) and yum khai dao (fried egg salad). There's heaps of fire, salt, tang, sugar and spice on the plate - may not be to everyone's taste but worth trying for a taste of authentic Thai cuisine at reasonable prices.
With out a doubt the most genuine Thai food in the city.
This place in the Chinatown Mall serves super tasty dishes at bargain prices. If there are a few of you I recommend you book a table. You order and pay at the counter, and don’t be surprised if the line is out the door like the night we were there. It is no secret that Laos is one of my favourite places to visit for food, the flavours are fresh and dishes full of texture. Thai Wat-Ri manages to do a wonderful job of recreating these dishes here. The menu is full of Larb Salads and tasty noodles. Cooper insisted we try the satay, which was juicy and tender. The chicken Pad Ce Ew was almost as good as those I have had in northern Thailand. The noodles thick and slippery with loads of crunchy broccoli leaves. It is no surprise this place has been going for so long. Make sure you pop in.
Thai Wi-Rat is a Thai/Laos restaurant in Chinatown which serves authentic food true to it's culture. You don't need to ask for Thai Hot here, just ask for normal hot and it will bring tears to your eyes. The spiciness slowly increases in intensity and doesn't hit you until about halfway through the meal. The medium is probably best if eating in large groups. Try hot if you're not too concerned about your appearance after dinner.
Thai Wi Rat is actually both a Thai and Laotian restaurant, and is reknowned for being as authentic as possible and not skimping on the heat in its dishes. It is possibly the only place in Brisbane that serves Laotian dishes. The restaurant is located at the top of the mall, and has indoor and outdoor eating areas.
We were in the mood for something casual and relaxed. In fact, we were already through the door to a certain Malaysian restaurant in the city when we realized it was cash only and the two of us did not have any cash. It also happened that the nearest ATM
I have been meaning to make it along to Thai Wi Rat for ages. Its considered by many to serve the most authentic Thai food in Brisbane. Thai Wi Rat is in the Chinatown Mall in the Valley. It has seating both inside and out in the mall. We arrived at 7.30
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