The Best Thai Restaurants in Auburn, CA
One of the things I love about Auburn is that you don't have to leave town to find really good Thai food.
Whether you’re craving a warm curry on a cool foothill evening, a plate of spicy drunken noodles, a comforting bowl of soup, or classic Pad Thai, Auburn has several local Thai restaurants that each bring something a little different to the table.
Located at 175 Palm Avenue, Auburn Thai Garden has been part of Auburn’s restaurant scene for years and remains one of the better-known Thai restaurants in town.
The menu covers plenty of familiar favorites, including Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, drunken noodles, fried rice, soups, and traditional curries.
What makes the menu a little more interesting are dishes such as Green Avocado Curry, Young Coconut Curry, and Rambutan Curry — options you don’t necessarily see at every neighborhood Thai restaurant.
If you like spicy food, pay attention when choosing your heat level. There can be a significant difference between everyday “spicy” and Thai spicy.
What to try: Green Avocado Curry, drunken noodles, Pad Thai, or mango sticky rice when available.
Karin Thai Restaurant
Located at 13338 Lincoln Way, Karin Thai Restaurant is a little more tucked away, but it may be one of Auburn’s most interesting choices for anyone who wants to venture beyond the usual Pad Thai and curry combination.
One of the standout dishes is Khao Soi, a Northern Thai curry noodle soup that is creamy, aromatic, savory, and slightly spicy.
Khao Soi isn’t something you find on every Thai menu, which makes Karin Thai particularly worth trying if you enjoy discovering dishes that are a little less familiar.
The menu also includes mango curry, pumpkin curry, drunken noodles, seafood dishes, and Crying Tiger — a grilled beef dish that gives meat lovers another option beyond noodles and curry.
What to try: Khao Soi, mango curry, Crying Tiger, or drunken noodles.
Thonglor Thai Cafe
Thonglor Thai Cafe is located at 891 Lincoln Way, giving it a great spot right in Downtown Auburn.
Longtime Auburn residents may recognize the location as the former home of Royal Thai, but today you’ll find Thonglor Thai Cafe operating there.
Its downtown location makes it especially convenient if you’re spending an afternoon shopping along Lincoln Way, exploring Old Town, or simply looking for an easy dinner downtown.
The menu includes Thai favorites such as Pad Thai, drunken noodles, Tom Kha soup, Tom Yum, Panang curry, and a variety of other traditional dishes.
What to try: Tom Kha soup, Panang curry, Pad Thai, or mango sticky rice.
Which Auburn Thai Restaurant Should You Try First?
That really depends on what you’re craving.
- If you want a large menu with some unusual curry choices, Auburn Thai Garden is a great place to start.
- If you’re interested in trying something a little different — especially **Khao Soi and Northern Thai flavors** — Karin Thai Restaurant may be the place to go.
- And if you want Thai food combined with an afternoon or evening in **Downtown Auburn**, Thonglor Thai Cafe has the location advantage.
Of course, there is another perfectly reasonable solution: try all three and decide for yourself.
Why Auburn’s Small Restaurants Matter
When people talk about what makes Auburn special, we tend to focus on the big things — the American River Canyon, our incredible trails, historic Old Town, the foothill scenery, and our easy access to the mountains.
But I think some of the smaller things matter just as much.
It’s the locally owned restaurant you stop at after a long day.
It’s the place where you find a favorite dish and eventually stop looking at the menu because you already know exactly what you’re ordering.
It’s grabbing takeout on the way home, meeting a friend for lunch, or discovering a restaurant you’ve driven past dozens of times and wondering why you didn’t try it sooner.
Those everyday places become part of the rhythm of living here.
Living here isn’t only about choosing a house.
It’s about finding the trails you love, the coffee shop you keep going back to, the local businesses you want to support — and yes, figuring out where to go when you’re craving a really good bowl of curry.
Restaurant menus, hours, and ownership can change, so I always recommend checking directly with the restaurant before heading out.
