Panita Thai Kitchen

My wife an I went here for lunch. We waited maybe 40 minutes despite being one of two groups in the restaurant at the time. \r \r Our food came. My Pad See Ew was honestly pretty good. My wife's dish was an inedible mess of salt and overcooked hot peppers. She asked to send her dish back and get something else instead. The owned agreed and took her order for the new dish. A few minutes later he came back out an informed us that he was going to charge for all three dishes. The most amazing exchange ensued when we tried to explain that that was not what we wanted:\r \r 1) He rather loudly called my wife a racist, informing her ""we are equal, our skin is the same."" Aside from being bizzarre and irrelevant to trying to send back a dish of bad food, it was actually literally true - my wife grew up in southern china and was the only other asian person in the restaurant.\r \r 2) He yelled at us every time we tried to talk or reason with him. Just outright tantrum-style yelled over us when we tried to talk.\r \r 3) He refused to adjust the bill.\r \r 4) He disinvited us from ever returning. \r \r So... yeah. I mean I guess maybe some of their other food is good? I suppose I'll never know. There's enough other Thai restaurants in Atlanta that I don't think We'll be missing much, other than verbal abuse with our meals.\r more

Although this place is eclectic and very cute, the service is awful and the food even worse. My mother and I decided to try this place instead of our favorite Thai restaurant (which is a few blocks away). We had a hard time deciding what we wanted off the menu (they have quite a few things). I decided on a lamb dish my mother a duck dish. While the presentation was nice, the taste was less than mediocre . The veggies were not fresh infact, they were soggy and old. My lamb was tough, my mothers duck was worse. We tried to work through it until I found a hair in my dish. When I brought it to the attention of our waitress, she asked what I wanted her to do. When I told her I wanted to take it off the bill she blatantly said ""We don't do that.You can order something else"". I decided on a shrimp dish to take home to my husband. While waiting on the second dish, I found yet another hair on my napkin. My mother decided to let the waitress know about that hair. Her response was ""I don't know what you want me to do about that"". That obviously left me speechless! I work in the service industry and would NEVER treat a customer of mine the way I have been treated in this restaurant. The waitress asked me to look through the second order for a hair...again speechless. I am done with this place. NEVER AGAIN! more

DISHONEST! Cheated me on the bill. Menu said Pad Thai was $11.95, but it was $18.95 on the bill. When asked... more

DISHONEST! Cheated me on the bill. Menu said Pad Thai was $11.95, but it was $18.95 on the bill. When asked about it, she (the owner's wife who now works there) said it was a printing error, and tried to find another menu with a ""correct"" price. Of course they all said $11.95. She then REFUSED to correct the price, maintaining that the correct price was still $18.95 reagrdless of what the menu said. Incredibly rude. I paid, but she got 0% tip, and you all got this warning. Pros: Funky place Cons: Dishonest more

DISHONEST! Cheated me on the bill. Menu said Pad Thai was $11.95, but it was $18.95 on the bill. When asked about it, she (the owner's wife who now... more

I'm a big foodie that eats out a lot in Metro Atlanta. This restaurant is literally the worst food experience I've ever had. My brother, my mother and I all got sick from the high sugar and salt contents in the food. The soups and our entrees, panang curry, massaman curry, and pad see ew, were not even edible because they were so extremely salty. We had them returned to be brought back with little or no salt and it was still too much. We didn't want to make a scene so we ate a little when we should have walked out right there. We all got felt dehydrated and finished 2-3 glasses of water right there and as soon as we left, we were nauseous and our blood pressure came up from the sodium content. I could no longer drive becaue I had blurred vision and was dizzy. The 3 of us ended up vomiting everything because our bodies were rejecting the high sodium. Also, the Thai sweet tea was so sweet that we returned it. It had at least 5 packets of artificial sweetner in it and the server said it was sweet because the tea itself is naturally sweet. I doubt that because I've had it a hundred times before. Pros: Cute patio Cons: The food and service more

Make sure you're ready to spend time in this restaurant, the experience is well worth it. This restaurant litterally blew me and my friends away the minute we stepped through the door. The ambiance and decor clearly reflected the owner/chef of Panita. He is the friendliest and most welcoming waiter and chef - he does it all and he does it well! He was enthusiastic about his dishes and was pleased to help us capture the experience by taking pictures. The food was delicious and completely authentic. It was one of those ethnic restaurants that you go to and just know that what you're eating came from someone who grew up with the food and was passing on the tradition. Simply put, I loved it. Visit Panita, you will not be disappointed! Also, get to know the restaurant owner because he has some great life stories to tell. more

We tried this place because we love Thai and because the reviews for the food were favorable. We were prepared for ""quirky"" service but wasn't prepared for the sorry excuse for service barely provided by the lone waiter/manager. Wasn't a good sign that the plates pre-set on the table were dirty (grime due to open screens in the main dining room). When we asked for clean plates and the waiter (with a huffy attitude) pulled a couple of dirty plates off the next table - I knew we were in trouble. We had a great first course - Spring Rolls. The second course was bad - Nam Sod - it had so much heat it was inedible. The Pad Thai should have been a home run - it was barely so-so. So we paid our bill and chocked it up to a never to repeat again adventure. The following day I discovered that the waiter charged my debit card TWICE and both charges exceeded the amount on my debit card receipt. Tried to reach the restaurant by phone - no answer. The bank has agreed to dispute the charges if we can't get no help from the ""quirky"" server. So if you see two people picketing the place this weekend that would be us. BTW - keep your cards in your wallet and pay with cash. Pros: Good Spring Rolls Cons: Double Charge on Debit Card & Horrible Service more

for years ive always walked past this adorable restaurant, covered in christmas tree lights, plants, flowers in an old stucko building...the place wreaks of chic-coolness. being from los angeles, im a totally spoiled thai food snob. everytime id visit atlanta, this place was always closed being that i was only in the highlands during the day. i FINALLY was able to eat there a couple weeks ago and honestly it was the best thai food ive ever had. from the pad thai, to curry chicken and even their rice was delicious. the service is quircky, but it just adds to the uniqueness of the place. i highly recommend it. Pros: everything Cons: service is a little odd more

I'm an out-of-towner who ate at Panita, basically by lucky perchance. I'm tired from a long day, but my experience there was such that I'm thwarting sleep to see what feedback was available on this establishment with charming curb-side appeal. Pros: Vegitables are cooked in a manner that reqpects the buyers keen eye for freshness. Cons: Love hurts more

My husband and I went to Panita yesterday and had the most amazing time! From the start you walk in and feel like you are on vacation. The plants outside the windows, the open air and the decor provide a relaxed yet inspiring feel. The food was delicious with wonderful presentation and combination of flavor and spice...not to mention the meals were priced for a lot less than we expected. In fact we were saying that we would have paid a lot more for the quality of service and food. Also, I tried the ""happiness drink"" it has a fun and exotic presentation yet really packs serious punch....so be careful if you plan to drive. We did leave very happy that day, indeed! We plan to return again and again. Pros: Wonderful food, ambience, service, and relaxed thai decor Cons: I wish that we lived closer to Panita's Thai Kitchen. more

This restaurant serves the best thai food in Atlanta hands down. It has ambiance galore, and the atmosphere is amazingly serene. The service is relaxed, and in turn, you find yourself relaxing and taking your time to enjoy the evening- a concept that is lost in most restaurants in America. There is no rush, and lingering is encourgaged. When you do get your food, you will not be disappointed. Surin is next door for those who can't enjoy a dining experience such as this, but for those who can, a night at Panita feels like a mini-vacation. Pros: Service, Food, Ambiance more

This is by far one of the most enjoyable evenings that I've had in Atlanta! The atmosphere is like escaping to another world, the food is delicious, and the service is entertaining! My friends and I were amazed that the owner was also the host, waiter, bartender, chef, and bus boy! He was incredible and excited to serve us. This is a great place to spend a few hours relaxing. Definitely try a Sake Bomb, it will add to the excitement of the evening! Pros: Relaxing atmosphere, Exciting staff, Great food/drinks more

One man. The whole restaurant is operated by one man. If you take issue with this, then you needn't venture away from Applebee's where the servers only have 4 tables each. Only when you have accepted the fact that, by dining at Panita, you will be subjecting yourself to the culinary vision and efforts of one single person, will you be ready for the kind of unforgettable meal that Panita can and probably will deliver. If you insist on wearing a watch to dinner, then you should probably eat at the mall. In fact, don't eat at Panita, just send them money. Thanks. This is the best Thai Food I have ever eaten. Period. Pros: Food, Service(yes, service), Ambiance Cons: That I don't have, time to eat here, every day more

One of my favorite restaurants. Authentic! The owner built many parts of the restaurant himself. He stops by your table, time permitting, to say ""Hello"". The chef will alter the food ingredients to suit your taste. The wait staff is very friendly and loves to anwer any questions you have. If you are looking to dine, in and out quickly... Go to a diner. If you want a relaxing freindly authentic Thai dining experience, this is your place. Pros: Wait staff, ambience, food Cons: not a "quick bite", parking more

Although the atmosphere is nice, the food was oily and more like Indian than Thai. The service was horrible! Pros: Atmosphere Cons: Everything else more

Despite its seemingly charming atmosphere, our group had a terrible experience here. There is only ONE person serving as host/waiter and chef. When we were there, there were about 10 tables of patrons for this one person to serve AND cook for and it did not go well. We waited TWO HOURS for our food and received no apology. The waiter/chef seemed very annoyed by the situation, but from what I understand, there has never been anyone else working there. Three tables that arrived AFTER us were paying their checks before we got our food. We all got the same mish-mash of chicken, onions, and peppers--not even close to what we ordered. We only got one small bowl of rice (for the whole table). When we asked for more, he dumped our remaining rice on my plate (some in my lap) and stormed off. DO NOT EAT HERE. Cons: Service more

A great little secret tucked in a serene setting off of N. Highland. In the winter, sit in the candlelit backroom with murals covering the walls. In the spring, sit outside on the patio amid the greenery. Don't expect much from the service. That's just part of Panita. Order a bottle of wine and enjoy it while you wait. Because you will. And dont sweat it if you arent served exactly what you ordered. Really. Its going to be good regardless. This is the perfect little spot for a long date or a casual dinner with friends. Pros: romantic, great food Cons: service more

This restaurant is a gem because its not trying to be hip or even extra popular. Not visible from the N. Highland strip, you have to know to turn off on Greenwood (at Surin and Dark Horse). The food is without a doubt some of the best Thai in Atlanta. Some have complained about being left alone for too long. Thats because the owner is a wonderful eccentric who insists on being a one-man act. He cooks, serves and buses all by himself. Just realize this ahead of time and dont come in a hurry. What you get in return is a picturesque setting with very few people around you, almost like youre dining in a private villa. This is a great place to come with a group of friends if you want to spread out and have long conversations. Pros: Great Thai, Calm setting Cons: Spotty Service more