Thai food might be my ultimate comfort cuisine, Nomsters, and after years of chasing drunken noodles, curries, and mango sticky rice all over the state, I finally put all my favorite Thai restaurants in Maryland in one spot. This guide runs from Baltimore City down to Annapolis and Pasadena, then out west through Columbia, Hanover, Silver Spring, and Bethesda, so wherever you are, there’s a plate of pad thai or a bowl of green curry waiting nearby.
Some of these are sit-down spots worth dressing up for, others are no-frills carry-out counters locals guard like a secret, and a few lean Southern Thai or Northern Thai if you want to venture past the pad thai you already know. Every one of them earns its place.
As always, this is in no particular order, just the spots I genuinely love and keep going back to. A lot of them are family-owned, and you can taste that been-doing-this-forever care in the cooking. If I left off your favorite, tell me in the comments so I can go eat my way through it. Save this one and let’s dig in!
Jump to a restaurant
1. Mayuree Thai Tavern
Mayuree in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood has some of the best pad thai I’ve ever had, and that’s not a line I throw around lightly. It’s a cozy, family-run spot that’s been a Canton fixture for about a decade, run by Thiti and his mom cooking his grandma’s recipes, and you can taste that confidence in every bite.
The little details are where they shine, from dumplings folded by hand to pad thai noodles cold-soaked instead of boiled and real tamarind instead of a shortcut sauce. Beyond the Pad Thai ($16 to $19), the Massaman Beef Curry ($23) is rich and worth it, the Som Tum papaya salad ($10) brings the fresh crunch, and the Steamed Dumplings ($12) are a must to start.
The whole team made us feel so welcome too. If you’re even a little into Thai food, this one needs to be on your radar. And full disclosure, Mayuree’s a NOM Digital client, but I promise we’re not biased even in the slightest.
📍2318 Fleet St Baltimore, MD
2. Thai Street
Tucked inside Broadway Market in Fells Point, Thai Street’s a spot I’ve always been a huge fan of, and I’ve yet to try a dish here I didn’t enjoy. For apps, I highly recommend the Moo Ping Nom Sod, skewered and grilled sweet pork with sticky rice, you get two and the meat’s so tender and flavorful (and you already know I’m a sucker for sticky rice).
But the curry puff might actually be my favorite app here, stuffed with potato, onion, carrot, and yellow curry and served with an amazing dipping sauce, it’s love at first bite. For mains, I go for the Drunken Noodle with beef, all broad rice noodles, basil, tomato, and string bean, or the Pad Gra Pao Chicken. It’s fast-casual in the best way, perfect if you want great Thai while you wander the market. Easily one of my go-tos in the city.
📍1640 Aliceanna Street #11, Baltimore, MD 21231
3. Dok Khao
Dok Khao in Columbia’s Merriweather District is one of my favorite Thai restaurants in all of Maryland, and what I love is that it doesn’t box itself into one lane. The concept pulls from Bangkok’s night markets and chef-owner Pat’s Southern Thai roots, so the menu roams from street-food snacks to bold curries and seafood, a lot of it built on fresh, locally sourced ingredients (some straight from the chef’s own garden).
The Khao Soi is a must (that’s the northern Thai coconut curry noodle soup, rich and a little crispy on top), and the Phuket Chili Crab is the kind of dish you plan a visit around. The drinks are no afterthought either, the Yuzu Fizz and the Lychee Espresso are two I couldn’t stop thinking about. It all lives in a bright, colorful space that just feels cared for, from the plating to the drink menu. If you’re making an afternoon of the Merriweather District, it slots right in.
📍6000 Merriweather Dr Ste B155, Columbia, MD
4. Little Spice
Little Spice in Hanover is firmly in my regular takeout rotation, and the reason’s simple, they make the BEST mango sticky rice I’ve ever had. The rice came out hot, the mango was super sweet, the coconut sauce was luscious, and my friend and I both mmmMMMmm-ed embarrassingly loud at the first bite, 10/10, and now I only ever want it warm, lol.
The Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) are saucy, savory, and exactly the glossy noodle tangle you crave after a long day, a reliable fave. The real non-noodle showstopper is the Bangkok Steak on the sizzling plate, tender, nicely seasoned beef that arrives sizzling and creates total tableside drama. I’ll be real, the green curry was a touch watery the time I got it, so I’d probably skip that one. But for mango sticky rice and dependable Thai takeout in the area, this is my go-to.
📍1350 Dorsey Rd Ste L Hanover, MD
5. Carlson’s
I almost forgot just how incredible Carlson’s in Annapolis is, and then I went back for a solo dinner and ordered so much my server thought I was feeding a group of three, hahaha. Expect some of the best Thai food you’ve ever had, no cap. The Drunken Noodles ($14.29) with beef were so, SO good, perfectly chewy noodles with lots of veggies, though they come with real heat, so consider yourself warned.
The Gaeng Key Wan green curry ($15.79) is generous with eggplant, peppers, and basil, a win for curry lovers. And the Kratim Pik Thai ($14.99), stir-fried chicken with ground black pepper and garlic in a light brown sauce, is simple but bursting with flavor and that extra peppery kick. Carlson’s tends to err on the hotter side of the spectrum, but just ask for a milder version if fiery flavors aren’t your thing. A total gem.
And a random FYI, did you guys know they have some of the best donuts in Maryland as well?! Yeah, definitely make sure to try ’em but go early because they sell out often.
📍1022 West St, Annapolis, MD
6. Bangkok Garden
If you’re hunting for delicious Thai food in Pasadena, Bangkok Garden has it all, nomtastic eats, a wonderful interior, and top-notch service. Start with the Kanom Jeeb ($7.95), steamed pork and crabmeat dumplings that make a perfect opener (you can get them fried too). The Pad Thai with chicken ($14.95) is without a doubt one of the best I’ve had in Maryland, generous and reasonably priced, 10/10.
But the dish that stole the show for me was the Kana Moo Grob ($16.95) off their secret Thai menu, stir-fried Chinese broccoli with crispy pork belly that was pure perfection. The Green Curry with pork ($13.95) was my least favorite only because the other two were so strong, it’s still solid if you’re craving curry. The staff’s really friendly, parking’s a breeze, and they’ve got a killer spice rack, so ask for the Thai chilis in fish sauce if you like heat like I do.
📍8043 Ritchie Hwy F, Pasadena, MD
7. Mali Thai
Mali Thai sat on my list so long it started to feel like a dare, and I’m a little mad at myself for waiting, because the food here is the kind of Thai I’d happily drive back for. It’s a family-owned spot tucked into the Glen Burnie Town Center, and it leans into traditional, authentic Thai cooking, so you get the whole range, flaky fried starters, big glazed chicken dishes, and noodle plates I can’t stop ordering.
The Crispy Chicken Basil ($17.95) is a must-order, and the Drunken Noodle ($15.99) is a forever-order for me. Round it out with the Crispy Chive Cake or Chicken Curry Puff ($6.95 each) to start and the Mango Sticky Rice ($6.95) to finish. The flavors are bold where they should be, the portions are generous, and the whole spread came in way more reasonable than I expected. For good Thai in the Glen Burnie area, this is the one I’d send you to first!
📍7477 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd #111, Glen Burnie, MD
8. Kook Kai’s
Kook Kai’s Thai Noodles is a lovely family-owned hidden gem in Silver Spring, and if you’re a fan of Thai cuisine, you gotta add it to your list. Kick things off with the Bangkok Wings ($7.95), fried to crispy perfection and served with a house sauce that’s got just the right kick, great for sharing.
The Drunken Noodles with beef ($13.95) were super on point, and the beef was really tender, so I highly recommend that protein. The real winner for me was the Crab Meat Fried Rice ($17.95), flavorful rice topped with LOTS of succulent crab, peas, carrots, egg, and onion.
The Green Curry with tofu ($13.95) is a veggie lover’s dream with eggplant, bamboo shoots, and Thai basil, and the Mango Sticky Rice ($6.95) is infused with butterfly pea flower, which I loved. Rumor has it they also do taro balls and baked taro custard, so keep an eye out.
📍939 Bonifant St, Silver Spring, MD
9. Thai Paradise
Thai Paradise in Severna Park is my go-to Thai place in that area, a carry-out-only counter the locals around here try to keep to themselves. This isn’t a fancy dine-in situation, it’s grab-your-bag-and-go Thai done right, and the flavors punch way above what you’d expect from a little takeout spot in the suburbs.
If you’re in a rush, you gotta try their Bangkok Noodles ($18.95), a spicy stir-fried rice noodle plate that tastes like pad thai and drunken noodles had a baby. The Green Curry ($15.95) and Spicy Pepper Beef ($16.95) are both solid picks too, and the heat’s real, so order to your spice level. What sets it apart is the range on that tight menu, from noodle plates to a full lineup of curries and stir-fries, so you can keep coming back and never run out of things to try. A real win for Severna Park.
📍57 W McKinsey Rd, Severna Park, MD
10. Bodhi Corner
Baltimore has no shortage of amazing Thai spots, and every once in a while I like to branch out and try somewhere new, which is exactly how I ended up at Bodhi Corner for lunch with my mom. I’d heard nothing but good things, and spoiler alert, it did not disappoint.
We started with the chive dumplings ($9), which were more like chive cakes, a chewy center with a beautifully crisp exterior and a sweet soy dipping sauce that tied it all together. The Pad Chinese Broccoli ($15) with chicken was loaded with tender broccoli in garlic and a savory soybean paste sauce, simple, comforting, and well executed.
And the Pad Thai ($15) might be one of my favorites in the city, chewy noodles and a sauce that wasn’t overly sweet. Good to know, they also offer mock duck and mock chicken, so it’s a great pick for my vegetarian Nomsters, and it’s an easy, comforting choice for a casual lunch out.
📍3500 Chestnut Ave, Baltimore, MD
11. Sense of Thai
Sense of Thai (stylized as 5ense of Thai) is Bethesda’s newest Thai spot, and I am SO glad I got to check it out. They just opened their first Maryland location in Westbard Square, bringing their award-winning Southern Thai cooking over from Northern Virginia, where they took home Best Thai Restaurant in Best of NoVa, and after my visit it’s easy to see why the hype followed them.
The Chumphon Pad Thai ($32) really wowed me, a deeply spicy dish built on the owner’s mother’s recipe and a Southern Thai coconut curry paste unlike anything else you’ll find on a standard pad thai menu. The Shishito Beef ($27) is another standout, and there’s a solid weekday Lunch Special ($22, Monday through Friday until 3pm, dine-in only) plus a beautiful happy hour bar. Chef-owner Pat is originally from Chumphon Province in southern Thailand, and that regional point of view is exactly what makes this one a real find for the Bethesda area.
📍5314 Zenith Overlook, Bethesda, MD
12. Thai Aroma
Thai Aroma in Ellicott City is one I’d been driving past for years, and I’m honestly not sure why it took me so long, because when I finally went for dinner, the food was fantastic. If you go, get their drunken noodles with beef and their Thai basil krapow with chicken, both are exactly what you want from a comforting Thai dinner.
The krapow’s a classic for a reason, a garlicky, slightly spicy basil stir-fry that’s pure comfort spooned over rice. I don’t have a full review on this one yet, but I can tell you it’s a fantastic option for Thai food in Ellicott City, and it’s absolutely worth adding to your rotation if you’re out that way.
📍8815 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD
And that’s my ever-growing list of the best Thai restaurants in Maryland, Nomsters! From hand-folded dumplings in Canton to carry-out Bangkok Noodles in Severna Park to that unforgettable mango sticky rice in Hanover, we are truly spoiled for good Thai in this state.
Which of these have you tried, and which Thai spot should I hit next? Drop your go-tos in the comments, I read every single one, and send this to the friend you always end up getting drunken noodles with. Happy eating, you guys!