TripAdvisor Offers Shallow Advice Concerning Hua Hin Restaurants

[Jack_Batty]

I’ll admit, I used the heck outta TripAdvisor back in the day. Like, 2003 to 2014. I’ve always travelled a lot, and I was constantly checking their lists and reading their forums on places that I was planning to visit. But then Yelp came around, and Google Maps. These were reviews predominantly written by locals. This was a better barometer of restaurants and sites to visit. I simply quit relying on TripAdvisor.

I write this because I saw the recent article citing the Top Ten Restaurants in Hua Hin, per….TripAdvisor. The restaurants listed were mainly places where tourists go….top-end resorts/hotels. I have visited most of those places. I do agree that the food is very good at those places, but the best in Hua Hin? Nope, nope, nope.

Now I see that HuaHinExpatNews has asked readers for their own recommendations. I don’t know what the criteria was for grading but the list was 1)Atcha; 2)Prime; 3)Flavours & BaanBua & Ga Hanoi (all tied); 4)S. Ken’s Bistro; 5)Little Spain & Thai Swiss & Pook’s Kitchen & Three Chefs & Cool Breeze (all tied). There was also an exhaustive list of ‘also mentioned’ restaurants; a lot I have tried, a few I need to soon visit. I agree that these restaurants are good, for the most part, and a far better representation of the best of Hua Hin’s gastronomic offerings. But are they the best? Not in my opinion, but as I have said before, it’s all very subjective.

Can the people reading this forum offer up their top 5, regardless of what type of cuisine it is, or whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner? What are your go-to places; places that make you happy when you know you are heading there? Off the top of my head, I love Aroi for sushi, Dorigo for Italian, Krua Chai Nah for Thai, Siam Bakery for Mexican, and Atcha for Indian. The absolutely best breakfast for me is to be had at Euro Deli. Can’t beat their eggs Benedict and crispy hash browns anywhere in town. Hug would have made the list for all of its varied dishes a few months ago, but they have really gone downhill recently. It’s hard to come up with a definitive list, I know. There are tons of good options out there, fortunately. This really is a great town for food.

[HHTel]

I read that. After realising that apart from one restaurant they were all in either expensive hotels or resorts. I of course chose to ignore the report.

[joelle]

I read that. After realising that apart from one restaurant they were all in either expensive hotels or resorts. I of course chose to ignore the report.

[Big Boy]

I'll have a go at the OP's question. Personal choice, of course, and please remember, I can't do large evening meal portions. If I eat out, my preferences are (lists used for Tapatalk users):

Breakfast

• Pat's Place

• Oasis

• Harrys

• Hua Hin Fishing Lodge

• Cheers

Lunch

• Santa Fe

• Remember (Khao Tao)

• [Edit] The Baguette

Evening Meal

• Shiva

• Father Teds

• Ga Hanoi

The above are places of preference. There are plenty of other places where I will eat, but wouldn't include them on any listing. My favourite of all of the above is Shiva.

[ahandpatsy]

I went to Shiva a few weeks ago on your recommendation. Agreed bloody brilliant. Service food and setting all great

[buksida]

I read that. After realising that apart from one restaurant they were all in either expensive hotels or resorts. I of course chose to ignore the report.

Indeed, most of what is on that website is clickbait.

We rarely eat out in HH as we don't live there but Ga Hanoi has been one of our return to favourites. Will have to try Shiva next time.

[caller]

I saw the top three from that list elsewhere. I didnt know it was a top ten. Unless they are of a similar genre, I don't think you can offer comparisons, seems daft to me to compare Atcha (small indian out of town and my indian of choice) with Flavours, which seems from their advertising, a sort of gastropub on the Petch road by the bus station (incidentally, that's 2 places not connected to a large hotel).

I personally don't want spectacular food every day / night, I mainly use 2 local restaurants to eat at - Zebwer & Raya - one of which is where I get my dose of fish (Haddock) and chips. Another, that willl be the nearest, is currently being built and I think all around here are hoping it will be the real deal on whatever it serves. I also use Mall food courts and restaurants from time to time. They usually fill a hole!

I tried a great burger place last week for the first time and it was the best burger I have ever eaten in Thailand! If it repeats that level when I return this weekend, I will post here. Most probably know about it but it was new to me.

And sometimes I like a restaurant because of a single dish. Harry's has a great choice of such dishes (I know, a contradiction in terms), pie, mash & 'licker' (a type of parsley sauce) for one, which takes me back to my childhood and youth and good old pie and eel shops in London, but the killer dish for me is scampi and chips served in a basket - wonderfully 70's - I can never get past it!

[REEM]

1. Peek Mai, hard to find lunchtime gem, always busy, hidden behind foliage on the main road between Hua Hin and
Cha Am (Curries and Pad Thai) (1126/18 เพชรเกษม Petchkasem Rd, Cha-am, Cha-am District, Phetchaburi 76120,
Thailand)

2. Unnamed noodle shop, also on the main highway just out of Hua Hin, selling Sukhothai noodles at lunchtime.
(1248 1 Thanon Phet Kasem, Tambon Cha-am, Amphoe Cha-am, Chang Wat Phetchaburi 76120, Thailand)

3. Khrua Ya, just past Big C on the other side of the railway on the road out of town that goes to that art village
place. Excellent Thai food in the evenings.

4. The big som tam place just past Market Village, Ruam Saep Yok Khok Som Tam, lunch and evenings.

5. Ko Mark restaurant, on Phetkasem, west side, by Soi 30. Sea food dishes. A bit pricey and you need to book at
weekends and busy times.( 032 907 589)

6. Phone Link, opposite the Shell station. Thai Chinese dishes. Excellent.

7. Khrua Huai Sai, a huge sprawling Thai restaurant on the road between the canal road and Phetkasem that runs by
the Huai Sai temple, serves seafood dishes, another hidden gem.

Chef Cha on the canal road past palm Hills serves decent farang food as does Krua Chainat on Soi 2 and the Pony Cafe on Phetkasem(West side) just before the airport serves excellent Thai and Farang food and some memorable desserts too in a nice setting, they also have an interesting "museum" upstairs displaying 50's and 60's memorabilia including watches.

[wenshidi]

I, for one, would be quite happy to see Tripadvisor go belly up. Not only are 80-90% of the reviews faked, but they practically killed the guide book publishing market. Back in the day, working as a professional travel writer was one of the best jobs on the planet. I am all for automation, but lets automate all the unpleasant menial jobs, not the most exciting and rewarding ones.