Bangkok Express- The Downtown

Usually a last resort on a cold or bad weather day. I wish I didn’t always leave disappointed, but I do.
The food is fine– nothing special, especially since I always order the General Tso’s (americanized Chinese food) rather than true Thai. However, Bangkok Express has always shown me the slowest service in downtown Cincinnati, which means that you have to account plenty of extra time to sneak out for lunch. I think they would have a much better chance if they increased their staff during the lunch rush– I usually only see 2 or 3 people working the entire floor of the restaurant, including the register.
I will probably stick to Bangkok Express for takeout on those cold weather days. Otherwise, you’ll find me at Shanghai Mama’s– it’s worth the walk.

Please check their Cincinnati Health Department inspection record before you dine at this location. HInt… did you order extra protein with that dish?

I somehow feel compelled to start this review with a disclaimer. I know this is restaurant has «Bangkok» in its name and «Thai» in its description, but I really know I get Americanized Chinese Food. (Again, being a creature of habit, I get the General’s chicken, spice level 2, white rice, no vegetables, Coke Zero and an eggroll.)
Generally, you can’t go wrong. Being in the shadow of the Kroger Headquarters, most days the lunch crowd turns this place into an ad hoc extension of the Kroger cafeteria. Food is typically consistent, and service is usually good. (Just make sure you are there by 11:45 or you won’t get a table.)
However, when the food or service does take a turn for the worse, it goes WAY off the rails!!! I’ve waited for up to 30 minutes before even being acknowledged at my table, let alone even get a drink order in, (which is rough because any server there knows I am a Coke Zero.)
In summary, this place is good enough stays in rotation for at three visits a month. Just be prepared for a visit every once in a while that will steam your rice!!!

Best lunch spot in the city. Food is top notch and I love the service.

If you’re desperate for Thai food downtown and it’s lunch time, I guess this place will do but I won’t be back any time soon. Service was friendly but slow, prices were high for the portion sizes and worst of all, the menu was not very authentic. Two of my favorite Thai dishes, Papaya Salad and Mango Sticky Rice, were nowhere to be found. The green curry with tofu that I ordered was ok, but nothing to write home about. All in all, there are much better places to eat lunch downtown and much better Thai restaurants in other parts of the city.

This place is so fetch… I have tried this place over and again but will never go back. The food is lukewarm each time and bland at best. The building smells like mold and the ceiling has leaked on the table before.
What’s worse than the food is the service. I have watched one server in particular serve up rude service to other guests in my party on prior visits, but today was the last straw. My plate was delivered and I immediately saw a hair. I alerted this particular server who took it away without any comment. He appeared again, not to apologize, but marched to the table HOLDING THE HAIR and said, «Just so you know, we think it’s your hair» and stared at me, waiting for a response. My face and ears turned red, I’m sure. Flame, FLAMES. Flaaaames? On the side of my face…
I could not believe what was happening. «Don’t worry, we are remaking it,» and he pivoted toward the kitchen. Regaining my composure I called out, «Actually, let’s just cancel that.» He must have been confused that this issue escalated from a potential hair contamination to a full-​blown outbreak of sheer insanity. «Cancel it?» Really. «Yes. Cancel. It.»
Rude Server came back a moment later with the rest of the table’s food and said, «So sorry about that» in thee most sarcastic tone he could scrounge up. I was through and asked him to just bring the check for my drink. He said not to worry about it. What a doll.
Had he brought me a new dish, apologized, and charged me for it with no detective work or accusations, I would have been content. I wasn’t looking for a free meal. I was looking for half-​assed Thai food in a hurry, preferably hair-​free. I left my friends in search of a quick lunch elsewhere. The granola I had at my desk was more satisfying.
I wish the story ended here, folks, but Rudy approached my co-​workers after I left and asked, «So, what did you think? Do you think it was hers?» like a wanna-​be Regina George.
I am astounded, since I know this isn’t Rudolph’s first day serving. He has gotten progressively ruder and visibly unsatisfied with his job. Even if this had been my hair, one day on the job should teach him to deal with this appropriately and politely. The manager should be embarrassed customers are being treated this way. I would be.

I reserve my 5 star Thai rating to go to Thai Express in Clifton, but for what I was looking for in a work place lunch, this place was great.
The service was very friendly and prompt. The prices were more than reasonable for a sit down Thai lunch place right downtown.
I was with a group of co-​workers, and 3 of us split 3 meals — Pork Pad Thai, Schezuan Pork and Massaman Curry. All three were good. I’d say the Massaman was the best!
I asked around the table what everyone would have ranked the restaurant, and the majority was 4 stars, one 3 star. For what you are expecting, a cheap, tasty and fast Thai lunch place, I was more than satisfied. I would definitely return, and I add it to my list of downtown eats I’d go to at work to provide a little spice in my life!

I ordered chicken pad Thai carry out for lunch today. It may be the best I have ever had. I think they changed their recipe from previous visits there. Whatever the case this was awesome!!! I highly recommend!!!

Went for lunch and ordered the green curry. The spice level was spot on, and the meal was good, but the service was dreadfully slow… I was by myself, and the restaurant was not even close to being full. it took 15 minutes to have my order taken and another 1\2 hour to get my food… which was lukewarm.

update 05/​30/​2014 Had lunch there with coworkers today. They were not busy, which is very odd for a friday. For those of you who were scared off the last few weeks bec/​of their A/​C not working… well, it’s working okay now. The food was good, just as usual. It was weird to not see a line at prime time on a Friday. Now, if they could only get that stupid credit card scanner to work consistently… It was broken today, so we had to scrounge around to find cash.
Just a note: their carry-​out portions for the curries are much larger than their eat-​in table servings. If you want quantity, order carry-​out.

If this was once a gem of downtown, it is no longer. We got the chicken yellow curry @ heat 3 and the chicken pad thai at heat 2. First, the pad thai was spicier than the curry. Second, you can tell they use low quality cheap ingredients in the food. The curry was more chicken broth than it was coconut milk and it had 4 tiny slivers of low grade chicken in it. For $ 7.50, you could at least fill up the dang container it comes in. Portions on the curry were pathetic. The pad thai had good flavor, but again you can tell they use cheap noodles and not a lot of chicken. There are definitely better places to get thai around here. I doubt we’ll go back to Bangkok Express.

I went during lunch on a (very cold) weekday and the restaurant was half full.
Two friends recommended this restaurant and I thought it was A-​OK. The server was very nice and the Red Curry was pretty good. The food came out in an OK amount of time and the interior was nicely decorated.
It was a good experience, but nothing to write home about. I’ll probably go again in hopes next time will be even better.

Location is in a great spot if you are working downtown. There is always parking near by and it isn’t too far of a walk from most office buildings. They are only open for lunch so if you are not around those hours you are a bit out of luck. The food is so so I have been there four times and have left satisfied but its nothing special. They have your standard Americanized Asian cuisine along with their Thai noodles. I felt the chicken pad Thai was a bit on sweet aide every time I had it and the hot and sour soup had a taste of its own. With this being the only Thai place downtown I think it will suffice most Thai lunch urges. But if you had the time I would much rather travel to Clifton for the food stuff.

I work downtown and this inconspicuous little place is perfect for take out Thai on a busy workday. I got the Chicken Pad Thai, spice level 2 (I’m a whimp) and it was really good! Just the kind of quick work lunch I needed. Also they have a great deal on drinks with your carry out ($ 0.01 for water or $ 0.50 for pop). Perfect caffeine kick with my Thai fix.

Cheap Thai (Americanized) food. Service seemed friendly. I have only got carry out. I was able to get my order within 15 minutes not even calling ahead. It is Downtown so convenient for those of us who work downtown. :)

Totally Americanized food. If you like real Thai food, please don’t go there.

This is a little gem of a workday-​lunch place in downtown. My wife who works in downtown introduced me to this place an we had a little lunch date to go here.
Actually this is one of their branches. The other branch is in Mason.
The place is very cozy, with a bright décor, and the place was packed on a Monday. But the tables kept moving fast and we got a table in 15 minutes. We had a fried rice, curry and Crab Rangoons.
Crab Rangoons were cheesy and creamy. Curry packed the right heat for a mild, and was flavorful. Fried RIce also was pretty good. We were in and out in about an hour.
If you are working in the downtown, this is a must-​go.

The food was good. The heat level was ok after asking for it extra hot and then adding some hot oil. It’s a bit of a walk from downtown /​the square, but it’s not too bad that I wouldn’t go there because of the walk. The prices are about average for a downtown lunch.
It’s not my favorite Asian restaurant downtown, but it won’t disappoint you either. Bottom line, if you’re already on this side of town, stop by for some great food.

Great to have a thai place to go for lunch while working downtown… HOWEVER…they don’t grasp that concept… people are here on their lunch HOUR and need to get back to work. They only had 1 waitress and 1 other person who brought food out. The service is VERY slow.
However, the food is very good and reasonably priced for downtown. So, would I go back… not to dine in… definitely to carry out… call ahead though!

Working downtown-​this is one of my favorite places for lunch. I usually don’t dine-​in because the lunch traffic between 11:30 and 1 is pretty heavy. I will call in a carryout order and it’s ready in 20 minutes. Can’t beat that!
The food is good and satisfies my taste buds! I’m not super into spicey things, so I’m really happy that they give you a scale to choose from! Their crab puffs are AMAZING! Make your mouth happy and try them!