Rai Lay Thai
Hours
- Closed
- Sun
- 5PM-9:30PM
- Mon
- Closed
- Tue-Fri
- 11AM-3PM, 5PM-9:30PM
- Sat
- 12PM-9:30PM
Location
South End
Serving traditional Thai street food, Rai Lay also serves sushi and a variety of Asian and Asian-inspired dishes. To complement your meal, try one of their cocktails or sake options.
Cuisine Type: Thai
Ambience: Casual Dining
Price: $$
JB Hicks
The is Thai food and then there is Rai Lay. I have been to every Thai establishment in Charlotte and I never had an issue with any one of them as the food and service of all the others are great to excellent. However, Rai Lay is at another level....EXTRAORDINARY!! The food explodes with flavor on each bite and the service is next level. I will drive the extra 30 minutes passing at LEAST 5 of the best and oldest Thai spots in Charlotte to grab a bite here. The decor is average but they money they spend is making sure to not cut corners on the food quality and price.
tucker durgin
My Saint of a girlfriend brought me a short drive to Charlotte for my birthday and wanted to take me out for my favorite type of food, Thai. Unfortunately it was not a good experience or meal, our waitress was not social, pleasant or well-mannered. The food was mediocre at best! The table next to us we overheard saying the same things about the same dish. It Was good to at least have a glass of water and hydrate. Id recommend finding another Thai spot!
Brittany Lindsay
I have had the food here three times, and it was excellent all three times. I work in the hospitality industry so before I proceed let me say I fully understand the industrys struggles with staffing. I waited over 20 min for a drink. I could deal with that had I not watched other tables around me all getting served beverages before me. In addition to that orders were taken before me that sat after me. I can be very patient but after 20 min of my ordered beverage not arriving while other customers had, I had had enough. I politely asked a server to cancel my drink. Again food is great- service needs much improvement. Should I go back, it will likely be a to go order. Please take this as constructive criticism and not a slam on your restaurant because I truly see potential.
Ansh Jain
Delicious Thai option in South End with a vast menu. Lunch prices (which are valid Mo-Sa) are very good value for the quality and quantity. The food is fresh and the service is welcoming and helpful. Many options can be customized for vegetarians/vegans.
Merrilee Weston
My favorite Thai restaurant in Charlotte recently closed (RIP Hibiscus), so Ive been on the hunt for a new go-to Thai place. I had high hopes for Rai Lay but it really missed the mark. The Pad Thai flavor was off - tasted more like hot sauce than a peanut sauce. And the shrimp still had tails on which made it a nuisance to eat. We got two different curries - the Masaman curry with beef and the green curry with chicken. Both had fantastic flavor in the sauce, but the vegetables in them were basically raw. The onions in the masaman were ruining the dish, so I had to pick those out, and the carrots and potatoes were underdone as well. Additionally, the beef was medium rare, which Ive never experienced in Thai curry before. In the green curry, the eggplant and bell peppers were crunchy and raw, which is unappetizing to me in a curry dish. Overall, not likely to order from here again.
