Soi 38 in Edinburgh, City of

Soi 38 has been one of our favourite takeaway spots in Edinburgh for years, but unfortunately, our recent experience has left us deeply disappointed. It feels like there's a lack of ownership or care, and the quality is no longer what it used to be. 1.We were initially told our food would be ready in 40 minutes. Being local, we always pick up, but we ended up waiting 1 hour and 15 minutes for our order. 2.The portion sizes, which are usually generous, were shockingly small. My partner's dish had just four and a half pieces of pork belly, and my panang curry was mostly vegetables. 3.To top it off, after the long wait, our order was incorrect. 4.We were also overcharged by £20. When we went back to resolve this, the staff seemed confused and it took another 15 minutes just to explain the issue. Despite showing them that the correct price on Deliveroo was £20 less, they kept insisting "that's the price." Eventually, they refunded us £15, but by that point, we were too frustrated to argue further. We've been loyal customers of Soi 38 for over six years, treating ourselves at least once a month. However, with the apparent changes in management or staff, we can’t help but wonder if our favourite restaurant is no longer the gem it once was.

The Pad Thai was delicious and very well priced. Strong dishes, very good option

I know it's fringe....but don't do it, don't eat here. I just tasted the worst, most sugar filled Pad Thai of my life, and I'm an old flupper. My wife had Pad Khing...two mouthfuls- had to leave the rest.

Amazing food! After just being in Thailand this matched all expectations! Great service with friendly staff and good beer!

The food is mediocre and the service is terrible.

Go every week with my boyfriend and we enjoy it immensely. The food is great and the prices are too. Friendly environment and good location.

I used to like this restaurant, it was not overpriced and tasty. The chef might have changed. I did order fried rice and it was without any tastes at all. Insipid food and more expensive that a proper restaurant.

The food is good but Their service is very poor and out of order. Everyone didn't get the right dish the first time. I waited more than forty-five minutes without getting my main dish.

Their price is much higher than before. Pad thai is more expensive than other restaurants but with less ingredients. Beef cost extra £2.5 but tasted worse than chicken. Service was not great. There are other better choices in the city and I won’t come back again.

This restaurant is my favorite Thai restaurant in Edinburgh. But now I change my mind. Their price is higher than before, now even pad Thai with beef (not prawn) is charged for £2.5 more. It’s far more expensive than other restaurants. Additionally, if you do ask for extra £2.5 for beef, you should label it just after the words. You menu is “chicken, beef or prawn (+£2.5)”. No one will know that the beef charges £2.5 more. I am also quite disappointed that the waitress was not really patient and ask my questions again for many times. It’s not longer be an affordable meal for students.

Best Thai food,love this place: Som Tom Thai salad, fish cakes and ribs every time! Delicious & so beautifully prepared too! 🇹🇭😍

I would have given 4 1/2 stars if that had been possible. I ordered the veg pad Thai, the Thai omelette, the tofu pad med mamuang, the pad ma khua yow, and the tom kha mushroom. Flavours were uniformly excellent: more complex than a lot of the other Thai food I've had in Edinburgh - I think this was partly due to the Thai basil - but everything tasted very slightly too salty, and the aubergine was quite oily but still tasty. I would have liked to order the som tum, but i'm vegetarian and there wasn't any way to request either veggie fish sauce or no fish sauce. All the veg were beautifully al dente, and the tofu had nice texture. Prices were very reasonable. I would definitely order from them again in the future.

The BEST Thai food 🤤 After trying a few in Edinburgh, this one is definitely our favourite. Every dish is so full of flavour. Our particular favourites are pad Thai, pad see eww, and Gaeng Massaman. Every portion is more than enough food and it is very well priced for the quality. Delicious!

Very tasty Thai food Good price (Hongkongers review)

Most realistic thai food I've had in Edinburgh prepared by staff from Isaan.

I just ordered green vegetable curry. It was so delicious that I don’t have any words to express. Everything was just perfect and fresh. Gaeng Kheaw Wan Tofu & Choo Chee Duck are highly recommend. ♥️♥️

Food was hot from the wok but the taste could be non-consistent. We ordered Tom Kha one after another, two orders in total, but the balance of coconut milk and sour soup base was totally from a different formula, still tasty. A Thai lychee drink costed £4.40 but was only a can drink, slightly disappointed that it was not a fresh mix of Thai flavours and price was on the high side for a can. Re owner's response: 7 April 2024 between 18:35-19:55 based on receipt time.

Ordered on Uber eats, took two hours to arrive, pad Thai was only noodles without anything else. Tofu was soggy. Wouldn’t recommend

There were not many people in the restaurant, but the wait for food took too long, and the food was not delicious. Not recommended.

I had the delightful opportunity to dine at Soi 38 Thai street food, a restaurant that captures the vibrant essence of Thailand's bustling street food scene. The experience was highlighted by their standout dishes: Tamarind Duck and Sua Bai Rong Hai. The Tamarind Duck was an absolute treat. The grilled duck breast was cooked to perfection, with a delicate slice that melted in the mouth. It was generously topped with a rich, tangy tamarind sauce that complemented the duck's natural flavors beautifully. The addition of chili, basil, lime leaves, and mixed peppers added layers of flavor that were both complex and harmonious. This dish was a brilliant showcase of traditional Thai flavors balanced with a modern twist. The Sua Bai Rong Hai, an 8 oz grilled Scottish beef sirloin steak, was also notable. Served with garlic and black pepper on a fresh bed of salad, the steak was tender and flavorful. Although I expected it to be spicier, the seasoning was still well-executed, allowing the quality of the meat to shine through. It was a satisfying dish that paired well with the vibrant setting of the restaurant. Overall, the dining experience at Soi 38 Thai street food was fantastic. The food was exceptionally tasty and well-presented, capturing the authentic spirit of Thai cuisine. Both the Tamarind Duck and the Sua Bai Rong Hai are must-try dishes for their flavorful execution and delightful presentation. This restaurant is highly recommended for anyone craving a taste of Thai street food in a more refined setting.

I ordered takeaway food. Everything was excellent.

Sadly the food was not fresh. My father got sick eating the beef salad pad Thai also bad produce. Not going back to this place unfortunately.

Avoid. Don’t enjoy leaving negative feedback but it’s important for businesses - and other customers - to read unvarnished experiences. We made an impromptu, first visit to Soi 38 before a gig. The place was busy - albeit at dinnertime - which was encouraging. Got a table at the window. One waitress on, friendly but clearly run off her feet. Ordered drinks and food (2 drinks, 2 mains, 1 side). Waited 30 minutes for one drink to arrive (the other arrived 15 minutes later, mid-meal). When food eventually came, meals were staggered 10 minutes apart, and pretty sorry looking. Main 1 arrived first and it was wrong (tofu instead of chicken). It tasted a bit funky too (dodgy pineapple, maybe). Main 2 (beef salad) came next in a small soup bowl; looked like a stingy handful of supermarket salad entombed beneath shreds of grey meat drenched in chilli (and not “oh, that’s nice” heat, but “all I can taste is lava” sweats). No balance. Colourless and one-note. The side was inedible (pork bites). Gristle and bone, literally battered to death. Felt for the pig. We love Thai food. Vibrant fresh flavours, alive with heat, and sweet and sour sharpness. But this seemed like a disappointing imitation. Maybe they were off their game, having a down day - fair enough - but at the prices being charged (£13.80 for the salad), folk should rightly expect a lot better. We politely complained and got Main 2 and the side comped, but I couldn’t recommend the place. And Soi 38, don’t be tight with floor staff. Our waitress was doing the best she could, literally running around the joint, but she clearly needed support, particularly at peak time (6-7pm). The worst Thai food I’ve had, anywhere.

First time eating here and probably the last. The flavours were okay, but nothing spectacular. The pineapple chunks in my partner's meal were legit off, ie. tasted fermented. I had a piece of pepper that was the same: tasted off and mushy. It completely put us off and we won't be returning. On a positive note, the portion sizes are big and generous and the menu has many options. It's a shame they didn't make sure that all their fresh ingredients were still fresh when we visited.

Amazing food! Tasted so nice! Benjamin who works there helped us choose a nice item as we were trying thai food for the first time and was absolutely wonderful with everything.

The worst pad thai I have ever had in my life, too sour, noodles are not cooked, the whole thing is too wet, too expensive in this standard, cost almost £13 totally not worth it. Faked by the reviews here totally.

😉 The clerk was very nice and asked if he had a student card, so he could get a 10% discount. The pork rice bowl was salty and sweet, a little crispy, not bad, not expensive, about 15 per person.

some of the best thai food i've ever had. got me hooked on pad see ew

I don’t like to leave negative review, understand how hard to run business, but I was surprised how the price have changed, went there had take away today, 1 veggie dish with roti just under 20 pound, roti price went up nearly double. Shocking.

Get delivery, delicious food, portion is good. Will revisit/order again. Highly recommended

Amazing food, the portions are big enought for 2 for lunch. I've been a dozen or more times and quality is always excellent.

Very good thai food for a very good price. Highly recommend the rice with belly pork. 10/10

So disappointed. Food never arrived after waiting for 90 minutes. They shouldn’t have accepted my order if they couldn’t deliver

Excellent pad see ew! Really recommend this place!

Food good to put in the bin. Soup smell horrible like toilets. I paid extra £1.50 for seafood and only 1 shell in the soup and some veg mushrooms, tomatoes. Sweet potatoes had a hair. Better to avoid this place.

Opposite to starlight, Chinese Asian supermarket, Soi 38 offers Thai street food in the affordable prices. Pad Thai and many dishes are good but the ingredients are not very authentic. Good choices for savviness. The seat can be limited especially during peak hours so takeaways might be a good choices

Beautiful, flavourful food! Huge plates of pad Thai cooked to perfection! Even brought out chilli and peanuts to add yourself. Perfect on a cold rainy day.

Amazing service, particularly on Sundays between 4pm and 9pm.

Lovely thai restaurant! Delicious food in huge portions. Would definitely go back. The khao soi was so yummy but a bit hard to eat the bowl-full of deep fried noodles though - maybe it should be served in a bigger bowl but overall we really enjoyed the food :) i really recommend the khao mun gai tod!

My favourite restaurant, love it there, taste real thai❤️

Tried their take on the Pa-nang Tofu. The sauce was very well made, but it's disappointing to see tofu puffs instead of actual tofu piece. Service was somewhat courteous until you finish your meal, it's like they wanted to rush you out even though the place was essentially empty.

Incredible food and service! If you are ordering via collection I'd recommend ordering online (although the website is quite hard to use) as everything for some reason is much cheaper than when ordering from the menus in person. That's a bit strange but it's so so worth it!

Excellent food. Spicy and full of flavour. The service was great too!

Loved this street-food style Thai restaurant. Food was delicious, freshly prepared, and quick to arrive. Prices are great, and it's an easy place to get an inexpensive small meal. The atmosphere is very casual, not super comfortable, but apropos to the style of food. We'll be going back.

The owner have decided quantity over quality with NO Thai basil, sorry to say. The price is as London though

Service was good and swift, however the food came out really fast. Didn’t taste fresh, but rather just heated up. We got the tamarind duck and pork ribs. The portions are generous so it’s good value for money.

great place, great vegan options too!! v much recommend the massaman tofu

Best food in Edinburgh! It's safe to say that it's a must-taste in Edinburgh!

Somewhat shambolic service made up for by great tasting food.

Easily the best Thai food in Edinburgh. The service is super fast. Everything is freshly prepared. The kitchen is open and it's nice to see your food being cooked and brought out. Atmosphere is nice. No matter how busy the place is it never takes more than 10 mins to be served. I would highly recommend this place.

The food was ok but they said in their menu that beef and chicken is HALAL and we just double checked with the waiter and he said the beef is not HALAL. They said we just changed the menu but we haven’t changed outside which is not fair for the people who eat HALAL. Please be aware ONLY CHICKEN IS HALAL and please change the menu ASAP.

Awful waitress service , should step When we entered the restaurant and we had waiting over 15 minutes and try to please and make order , we try to make the order first time, the waitress was replied wait a moment and second time and third time , she still said was busy and finally we can’t wait too long and ask her once again . And we had a really bad and rude service reply. I never seen before. What’s an awful service and try to kick the customer out of the shop. I can’t think how is it going. Especially , this waitress lady She like a granger more than a waitress . I recommend you all step away when she is in the shop.

Received my food within a minute or two, the food was delicious probably one of the best places in Edinburgh to check out.

That was the worst Pad Thai I've ever had in my life. The food was utterly dreadful and expensive. Should have gone to ting thai caravan. 😭

We popped in for takeaway - was advised that menus in store were same as takeaway menus - but were charged sit in prices ie 1/3 more than online takeaway price The food was prepared quickly - but consistently of very overcooked chicken (green thai curry - chicken barely edible as it was so tough) and undercooked prawn stir fry; the fried rice was OK, albeit a bit too salty. These 3 dishes came to £32.50 - for takeaway I would not recommend, due to very mediocre food and poor value for money

Food was fast and delicious and with good prices

Lovely staff, the best Penang curry I’ve ever had! 🥘 Wish I could move this place to Glasgow so I could go more often - pad Thai was also fantastic, lovely flavours and reasonable price 😊

The noodle dish I had was poor. Large portion size, but devoid of flavour, which is a first for a Thai meal. Other people's meals looked better, so perhaps you can get a much better meal here, the place feels really authentic. But I am judging on what I paid £15 for, and it was sub-par.

Best Thai food I've had in my life! Had the Tamarind Duck. Extremely tasty, balanced out, veggies super crunchy. Portions are quite big so come with hunger! Was willing to try at least couple menu items but was too full after the first one! Will come back for more. Thank you for the amazing food and friendly service as well!

I ordered pad mee kra tiam. Good price to portion ratio and quite tasty although there were pieces of eggshell in between the noodle :( the server lady was very nice, quick and attentive

We ordered before other 2 tables but our food came the last (only 2 pad Thai). No apologies at all. Even the food is good, it cannot compensate for bad service.

Food is extremely delicious and reasonably priced. I came here to eat twice on the same day (lunch and dinner). Khao Mun Gai Tod, Green Curry, Tom Yum, Pad Khee Mao and Coconut rice is very good. Highly recommend if u are travelling in Edinburgh.

Super homey place, love the environment. Love love the food and very affordable. Coconut rice was good, green curry was good, everything was really good so honestly worth the try when in Edinburgh :)))

Delicious Thai food. Chicken Green Curry was awesome. Fried Pad Kee Mao (flat noodles) is tasty….and can be better if more fresh basil is added. Khao Mun Gai Tod (honey fried chicken) is so yummy that I ordered 2 sets. Highly recommended for those craving for Thai food when in Edinburgh. Cheers.

Oily, bland and ridiculously overpriced! I don't like leaving bad reviews but this was terrible today... Never again.

Food was superb, best thai food I’ve had in the UK! We got the green curry, tom yam, pad khee mao and the kgao mun gai tod (so good we ordered another portion!). Serving was pretty big and we got the coconut rice as well, which was super fragrant. 10/10 highly recommended.

อาหารค่อนข้างรสชาติต่างชาติไม่ใช่แบบไทยแท้ๆ ให้ปริมาณอาหารมาก อิ่ม คุ้ม

Best Pad Thai I’ve ever had, excellent service, very considerate. 10/10 would recommend.

道地的泰式料理，價格合理，超大份量，且所有的人都很親切，這間極力推薦，有機會一定要再來。

Authentic Thai cuisine and excellent service. Delicious must try!

There is a chance this may be my fav restaurant on the planet

Hey I always loved this place but sadly they have a problem. We are now waiting an hour beyond the projected delivery time. I'm so sorry I did not use a major delivery service but trusted the restaurant... The phone they provide is disconnected and the email provided does not answer. So sad because this was a good place!

Such good food! I’ve dined in & had takeaways from here and love it every time 🌟

Food was delicious, worth the price.

Amazing authentic Thai food and great value for money. Lots of gluten free options

Great street food. Very authentic and supper tasty. A great little spot.

Rarely go out for thai food, but this was excellent, loads of vegan options, good portions, excellent value. Top grub!

I’ve had food from Soi 38 many times and it is always outstanding! A family-run business with friendly staff, an open kitchen and delicious food. Would highly recommend it.

The pad Thai there is fantastic, it is full of flavour and tastes amazing. I would claim that it is the best thai restaurant in the city. The portions are very generous and the seasoning is placed in separate containers for when you buy a takeaway. That is a great way of having all the flavour just the right way, without having spices sitting in the noodles for ages while you bring this goodness home. Excellent place to bring your friends and family in.

Exceptional thai food, one of the best in Edinburgh. It is a bit rough and ready inside as it has a street food vibe but it it's definitely better than a lot of the fancy thai restaurants.

Very disappointing takeaway. A friend and I ordered dinner from here and sadly we won't be visiting again, in person or otherwise. Our Pad Thais were not Pad Thai, they were just rice noodles and vegetables/chicken, no tamarind, no seasoning, no flavour. We added liberal amounts of lemon juice and soy sauce ourselves to make it less bland. The tubs were also about 85% rice noodles and 15% other. I ordered an extra curry to save for the following night, and for over £10 I got about 1/3 of a tub, not even a decent sized portion. Definitely more flavourful than the Pad Thai, but small and absolutely not worth the money. I love Thai food, and this wasn't good Thai food. Disappointing waste of money, especially as I ordered an extra main and takeaways are such a rare treat.

Good food at a reasonable price

the food was good and came out quickly and wasnt expensive with large portions. I had a young man waiting me who seemed about 15-16 he was very polite and overall a good experience and i would go again

Visited yesterday for the first time. Very friendly staff, food was lovely and the menu is well laid out for allegens. A nice atmosphere, worth a visit, will return.

Highly recommend! One of the best curry’s I’ve ever had and an affordable price!

Great food and service go to place for a nice and healthy meal

The food came pretty fast, the service is just okay (since there was only 1 person to handle the entire floor). But nonetheless, big portion of pad thai, the other stir fries are just okay. The prices are reasonable, the portions are big and overall just decent Thai food.

Consistently my favourite takeaway and reasonably priced 🔥🔥

Ordered food which didn’t arrive, restaurant refused to take any responsibility and blamed Deliveroo. Said they couldn’t do anything to help

There was a hair in my pad Thai, I didn’t bother taking a pic since these things happen and I wasn’t intending on mentioning it in my review, but when I saw an eyelash in the fried sweet potatoes, I had to take a pic of that. The chips and deep fried sweet potatoes were okay, I actually kind of enjoyed them. I did not like the pad Thai, in fact I could not finish it. It was a greasy flavourless block of noodles. The chicken breast is the driest chicken I’ve had in maybe a year or more.

Soi 38 is a Thai restaurant located in the Newington area of Edinburgh, Scotland. The restaurant offers a range of authentic Thai cuisine, with a focus on street food-inspired dishes. The menu at Soi 38 features a variety of appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, including popular Thai dishes such as tom yum soup, pad thai, green curry, and mango sticky rice. The restaurant also offers a selection of vegetarian and vegan options. The interior of Soi 38 is decorated with Thai-inspired decor, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant has a casual and relaxed vibe, making it a popular spot for a quick lunch or a leisurely dinner. Soi 38 is located on South Clerk Street, in the heart of the Newington neighborhood. The restaurant is easily accessible by public transport, with several bus stops located nearby. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, and also offers a takeaway service for customers who want to enjoy their Thai food on the go.

Was passing and thought we’d try here. Probably best Thai food I have had.

A much better experience here, than at Thai Express in town. The food wasn't spicy, but that was my fault for not asking for it to be Thai spicy. When I added a handful of fresh chilli (on request) it was booming with flavour. I had the tofu massaman curry with a Singha beer, it was pretty similar to that I've had in Thailand, and that's all I can expect. Service was attentive, but not overbearing. Would definitely return.

It was Eat 358 that lured me into Soi 38 for the traditional Thai street food. I wanted to disclose that at the start as it means I've only been once but we also know that the indie eatery supports charity. It's communal tables inside, but I didn't need to share and this would be perfect for students coming in a group for food. I think the price is about right for students to, with the most expensive thing on the two page menu that I could see costing about £15 and coming with the rice included. I had a bowl of yellow curry, which came with a side of rice and was spicy perfect. Is there a knack for eating non-sticky rice with chopsticks? After a while I dunked the rice into the chicken curry bowl and later I just picked up a fork. Good on Soi 38 to automatically give both. I ate a late lunch, closer to some folk's dinner and wasn't alone. I can imagine both rooms getting full at more traditional meal times. Mixed feelings about where I sat and looked into the tight kitchen. It wasn't dirty or crowded but it was well used. I guess it adds to the authenticity of street food despite being inside. I'd come again.

All of us got different dishes and the were all to die for. The food came in a relatively quick time and the portions were massive. It was sooooooo good.

Delicious food, great services and good prices! Best Thai food we’ve had in a long time.

ร้านอาหารที่นี่อร่อยมากเลยค่ะโทรสั่งอาหารน่าจะเป็นคิวสุดท้ายคุณพ่อได้แถมอาหารเพิ่มเติมมาด้วยขอบคุณมากนะคะ

Poor food and service I’m afraid. Greasy and flavourless. Best avoided.

The papaya salad tastes terrible. On the menu, it says lemon juice and fish sauce were included. But, when it came, all I taste was tamarind paste but no flavor of lemon juice and fish sauce. For the papaya salad, the flavor that came out from the combination of fish sauce and lemon juice is the main point. If there’s only tamarind paste flavor, what’s the point of ordering???

This evening was the 4th time visiting Soi 38 on Clerk Street in Edinburgh. Without a single word of a lie, this place has the most authentic Thai cuisine I’ve tried in all of the U.K. Having lived in Chaing Mai for eleven years, Thai food is always my ‘go-to’ where possible. Few restaurants have that true authentic taste, but this place trumps each and every one. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit this place whenever in Edinburgh. 6 stars!