Pad Thai Restaurant Introduce
For residents across Central New Jersey seeking an authentic and deeply satisfying Thai dining experience, the journey often leads to **Pad Thai Restaurant** in Highland Park. This establishment, a long-time local favorite since 1996, has built a loyal following by serving up traditional Thai cuisine with a commitment to flavorful, high-quality ingredients and notoriously generous portion sizes. The restaurant prides itself on delivering a "New Experience in the Taste of Thailand" and was notably voted "Best Restaurant in Central Jersey" by the Home News Tribune for a decade between 1998 and 2007, solidifying its status as a regional culinary landmark.
Pad Thai Restaurant offers more than just the namesake dish; its menu features a wide array of options spanning classic soups, specialty salads, noodles, and fried rice. Customers consistently rave about the food, with one review noting that it has "by far the best Thai food I've ever had." Favorite dishes often mentioned include the richly sauced **Guay Teow Rad Prig** (stir-fried minced meat in a chili garlic sauce over thick rice noodles), the flavorful **Pad See Ew**, and various fragrant curries. With a casual yet cozy and trendy atmosphere, it’s the perfect spot for a delicious meal, whether you're dining solo, with a family, or gathering with a group of friends.
Pad Thai Restaurant is conveniently located on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park, making it easily accessible for students, families, and professionals throughout Middlesex County and beyond. Highland Park’s central location in New Jersey contributes to its appeal as a local dining anchor.
The address for the restaurant is:
217 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ 08904, USA
The restaurant has prioritized accessibility, ensuring a comfortable experience for all patrons.
- Features a Wheelchair accessible entrance, allowing for easy access from the street.
- Dedicated Wheelchair accessible parking lot and Wheelchair accessible seating.
- Equipped with a Wheelchair accessible restroom.
For drivers, the venue offers free street parking in the area, a valuable amenity in a busy Central Jersey town. The atmosphere is noted as casual, cozy, and quiet, providing a relaxing environment suitable for both a quick lunch and a quiet dinner.
Pad Thai Restaurant is structured to provide flexible service options that cater to the busy schedules of New Jersey residents, whether they wish to dine in or enjoy their meal at home.
- Full Dining Experience: Offers both Lunch and Dinner seating, including table service and a bar onsite for drinks. The casual setting is suitable for all types of dining, from College students to Groups and Family-friendly outings, with high chairs available for the youngest guests.
- Reservation & Payment: Accepts reservations, making it easy for groups and families to plan their visit without a long wait. Payments are convenient, accepting Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.
- Off-Premise Options: Provides reliable Delivery and Takeout services, allowing customers to savor authentic Thai flavors in the comfort of their own homes.
- Beverage Selection: Features a full bar with Offerings including Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, Hard liquor, and Wine, complemented by an excellent Coffee and a highly-praised, Great tea selection.
- Dietary Accommodation: Committed to catering to diverse needs, the restaurant offers an extensive separate menu for Vegan options and Vegetarian options, and the staff is noted for being helpful in managing food allergies, such as peanut and sesame.
Pad Thai Restaurant stands out in the competitive Central New Jersey dining scene due to several unique features and commitments to quality:
- Authentic Central Jersey Favorite: Established in 1996 and recognized for years as the "Best Restaurant in Central Jersey," demonstrating a sustained commitment to quality and consistency that locals trust.
- Exceptional Portion Sizes: A frequently praised highlight is the sheer size of the portions, which are described as "huge," offering great value for the quality of the meal.
- Flavor-First Specialty Dishes: Beyond standard fare, customers love unique, highly flavorful dishes like the **Guay Teow Rad Prig** (chili garlic noodles), the classic **Pad See Ew**, and appetizers like **Tod-Mun** (fried fish cakes) and **Hoy-Joa** (fried crab sausage).
- Outstanding Dietary Flexibility: The availability of extensive Vegan and Vegetarian menus showcases the restaurant's commitment to accommodating plant-based diets, with staff knowledgeable about making modifications for various dietary restrictions and allergies.
- Acclaimed Desserts: Known for classic Thai desserts that are a "family favorite," including the delicious **Mango with Sweet Rice** (which has been given to patrons on the house) and the highly suggested **Fried Vanilla Ice Cream**.
- Great Tea Selection: The restaurant features a Great tea selection, providing a perfect non-alcoholic pairing for their spicy and savory dishes.
- Excellent Customer Service: Service is consistently rated as "great," with staff described as friendly, helpful, and kind, adding to the welcoming and cozy atmosphere.
To arrange a reservation, order for takeout, or inquire about the diverse menu options, including the extensive vegan selections, New Jersey users can use the following details:
Address: 217 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ 08904, USA
Phone: (732) 247-9636
Pad Thai Restaurant in Highland Park is an essential choice for anyone in New Jersey seeking quality, authentic, and generously portioned Thai food. The primary reason to choose this location is the combination of its decades-long reputation as a local favorite with its incredible value proposition. The "huge" and satisfying portions ensure that every meal is a worthwhile investment.
It is particularly worth choosing for those with diverse dining groups or dietary restrictions. The separate and extensive menus for vegan and vegetarian diners, coupled with the staff’s praised attentiveness to allergies (like sesame and peanut), make it a safe and accommodating destination. Finally, the overall dining atmosphere—casual, cozy, and backed by fast, friendly service—elevates the experience beyond simple takeout. Whether you're looking for a quiet, flavorful dinner with a glass of wine, a hearty lunch, or a family-friendly spot that caters to everyone's needs, Pad Thai Restaurant in Central New Jersey promises a reliably delicious and welcoming experience. Their mastery of sweet rice and mango is also a must-try conclusion to any meal.
Pad Thai Restaurant Food & drink
Appetizers
- Tod-Mun $8.95
Fried fish cakes served with a spicy cucumber and peanut sauce.
- Hoy-Joa $7.95
Fried crab sausage served with sweet and spicy sauce.
Thai Soups
- Tom Kha Talay $10.95
Mixed seafood and galanga in coconut milk soup.
- Tom Yum Si Klong Moo $10.95
Spicy and sour lemon grass soup with young spare ribs.
Thai on the Green (Salads)
- Yum Tuna $11.95
Tuna mixed with fresh ginger, celery, onions and roasted peanuts in a chili and lemon dressing.
- Larb Wun Sen $11.95
Silver noodles and choice of minced meat seasoned in a spicy lemon dressing, served with mint and ground roasted rice.
Thai Fried Rice
- Kao Pad Pad Thai $10.95
Fried rice with shrimp, roast pork, tofu, ground peanuts, bean sprouts and egg in our own pad Thai sauce.
- Kao Pad Koon Chieng $10.95
Fried rice with Thai sausage, onions, peppers, mushrooms, peas and carrots in a light seasoning sauce.
Thai Noodles
Choose a meat: Beef, Chicken, Pork.
- Rad Na $10.95
Pan fried thick rice noodles with choice of meat and Chinese broccoli, topped with a tasty gravy sauce.
- Rad Na Kee Moa $10.95
Pan fried thick rice noodles with your choice of a minced meat, topped with a basil gravy sauce.
Pad Thai Restaurant Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Great tea selection
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Small plates
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Quiet
- Trendy
Crowd
- College students
- Family-friendly
- Groups
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
Parking
- Free street parking
- Parking
Pad Thai Restaurant Photos










Pad Thai Restaurant Location
Pad Thai Restaurant
217 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ 08904, USA
Pad Thai Restaurant Reviews
spicycurrydinnerappetizerdumplingsbarnoodle souppad see ewpad kee maotip
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1First time here, my cousin recommended. We ordered the Chicken Satay, Garlic Beef, Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Red Curry Chicken, and a salad dish. Overall, the taste was good but the beef was killed 4 times over and the noodles were a bit too soft they were almost mushy. The service was great though. She was friendly and helpful as we have a person with some sesame and peanut allergy. The host gave us mango with sweet rice on the house. Now that was delicious.
October 03 · Kit ChengThis restaurant has by far the best thai food I've ever had (and their portions are huge). My favorite item on the menu is the Guay Teow Rad Prig; it comes with tons of sauce and is extremely flavorful. Their fried ice cream is also a family favorite. I've also tried the mango sticky rice, which is very good. I highly suggest coming here!
October 18 · Amelia AscioneIt’s not a fancy restaurant. It’s been around for a long time. The food was always delicious but very spicy. Be aware of your spicy tolerate level. At times food came out spicier than it should be.We had Tom yum soup, chicken satay, guay teow neau sub, and puck ruam mit sate. All were wonderful and delicious.The soup was great for a somewhat chill night. I love the peanut sauce of sate. Puck ruam mit sate was light.The portion was generous.
April 04 · Jules HuangI hope the owner writes back soon because we used to love this place and go for casual dinner quite often. We called around 8:30pm to put in a to-go order. Over the phone, my husband specifically checked if they were okay with taking our order before reading off the list. A lady picked up the call with an attitude, but said they could still make our order, as long as we put it in before 8:55pm. First we put in order for Pad See Ew. She asked what meat we wanted. My husband paused for just 1 second, the lady immediately said “you don’t know what meat you want? I cannot wait on the phone all night for you.” Okay, I guess we got some nice waitress here. We wanted the N13. Red Curry Seafood Noodle Soup, and the lady immediately said they never had such an item on their menu. Once my husband told her the item number from their own website, the lady said: “It was a lunch only item.” Please look at the screenshot - I found it from their “Regular Menu.” Clearly, we got some waitress who is so familiar with their own menu here. Then, my husband tried to order my favorite duck curry for me. The lady said “we only do duck in tamarind sauce.” My husband tried to tell her two times previously we ordered duck from them, we tried it in Penang Curry once, and green curry once, both were extremely delicious and impressive. Guess what? She immediately called my husband a liar. Okay, please see my picture here - GREEN CURRY DUCK. Who is the liar here? This waitress, you can go and have a very good night. We do not need such confrontational behavior in our neighborhood. Until we get an explanation from the owner, we, and all of friends and colleagues, are not going back. Try us!!!
February 18 · Xuemeng LiThis place is my favorite place to get Thai food in Central Jersey. When they tell you that the spice level of their dishes is Thai spicy then you know that their food is going to be authentic!Ambiance- plenty of seating- spacious- dog friendlyService- friendly waiters- food came to the table quicklyFood- fried calamari- Chrispy in the outside and juicy and slightly chewy on the inside. The sauce was tangy and sweet. Loved this appetizer!- Green Curry and white rice, mild- just enough heat for me! This dish is packed with veggies- Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots, red bell pepper, onions. The portion is huge- I got 2.5 servings out of this dish. Rice was warm and fluffy.I've come here multiple times to dine-in and takeout and I'll definitely be back!
April 17 · Nina Lyow
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