Sawadee (Utah) Thai Restaurant

754 E S Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84102, United States
+1 801-328-8424
$$$ Thai restaurant , Asian restaurant , Fine dining restaurant , Seafood restaurant , South Asian restaurant
(2647 Reviews)
Price Range $10–20

Sawadee in downtown Salt Lake City offers a Thai dining experience that blends authenticity with a touch of fine dining ambiance, making it a notable stop for those seeking Asian cuisine with depth and flavor. Located on E S Temple St, this spot stands out for its spacious layout and a vibe that comfortably fits everything from casual lunches to relaxed date nights.

The restaurant showcases a broad menu featuring classic Thai dishes with particular highlights like their green curry, Panang curry, and the Pad Thai served with steak and shrimp. Portions here tend to be generous—several diners mention that a single order, especially the curries, can easily satisfy multiple people, making it good value if you’re sharing. Vegetarians and vegans will find options like tofu dishes and fresh papaya salad, with gluten-free choices also available, which reflects the restaurant’s versatile approach to accommodating different diets.

Atmospherically, Sawadee is a step above your typical takeout spot. The interior is large and well-lit, with enough seating to handle lunch crowds and evening reservations without feeling cramped. On certain nights, live music adds an unexpected but welcome layer to the experience, contributing to a more lively, date-night-friendly setting that differentiates it from many other Thai options in Utah.

Local patrons tend to rely on Sawadee for consistent flavors that reflect authentic Thai cooking, particularly praising soups like Tom Kha Gai and the flavorful stir-fried noodle dishes such as Pad See Ewe and Drunken Noodles. That said, some find the Pad Thai a bit softer than usual, which slightly shifts the texture but doesn't overshadow an overall flavorful plate.

If you’re stopping by, the best times may be lunch for a quick, hearty dish, or evenings when the atmosphere slows down with live music and diners looking to unwind. It’s a place that works well whether you want to dive into a vibrant meal solo, share plates with friends, or choose a setting with a little more ambience for a casual night out.

  • Great for fans of authentic Thai cuisine looking for an upscale yet approachable setting
  • Especially appealing to groups who appreciate larger portion sizes
  • Offers a mix of vegan and gluten-free options, suitable for diverse dietary needs
  • Lunch specials provide solid midday value, while dinner brings a fuller, more social experience
  • Live music nights add a local flavor not always expected at Thai restaurants in Salt Lake City
Highlights
Has fast service
Has great tea selection
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
What they serve
Serves alcohol
Serves beer
Serves coffee
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Serves small plates
Serves vegan dishes
Serves vegetarian dishes
Serves wine
Best for
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Has catering
Serves dessert
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Plenty of parking

Openings Hours

Checking

Monday

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 09:00 PM

Tuesday

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 09:00 PM

Wednesday

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 09:00 PM

Thursday

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 09:00 PM

Friday

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 09:30 PM

Saturday

12:00 PM - 09:30 PM

Sunday

04:00 PM - 09:00 PM

2647 Reviews
Paul Douglas

01 Jan 2026

I love their Tom Kha soup but you definitely need to get their curry croissants (better as veggie only even though I love chicken). All of their dishes I’ve had have been great, minus their pork lunch special. I ate it all but their other dishes are much better.

Jessica Ruiz

23 Dec 2025

The best in Utah, and too in the US, 1000%. Vegan options. Gluten free option. The food is special, the people are incredibly great and amazing at what they deliver. Authentic. Again, AUTHENTIC Go and experience! Grateful they exist and especially in Utah!

Isaac Romero

12 Dec 2025

This place was a recommendation, and I do have to say it was well recommended. It looks very fancy and beautiful for date night. They had live music, which was impressive for a Thai restaurant. Great appetizer! The food was very delicious, and the portions are a good size! I just didn’t like their Thai tea and the iced Thai coffee; they were a little bit watered down.

may

10 Dec 2025

Food was delicious! Each dish was flavorful and tasted authentic. The Pad See Ewe and fried rice was my favorite! It tasted very fresh and the portions were also bigger than I expected!! Personally I felt like the pad thai was a bit on the soggier side, but still delicious! The restaurant is huge and spacious, with a lot of seating. They had a live band playing which I found very lovely and added to our dinner experience. The staff was also super friendly and kept coming back to make sure we were enjoying our time. Definitely will be coming back again :)

Makayla May

20 Nov 2025

The serving sizes are HUGE, you could probs feed 3 people with 1 order of curry. I had the massaman curry and it was delicious. The atmosphere is chill and cute and I got my food super quick. 10/10 will be coming back.

Jose Alonso

24 Oct 2025

This is by far the best Thai restaurant in Salt Lake City. Glad I was able to revisit and review after not being here for several years.

Christine Paongo

23 Sep 2025

Party of 10, was supposed to be 16, but the idiot cancelled last minute. Anyways I made a rez in advanced because thats considerate and she busted ass to help us with everything. Im talking about appetizers to the drinks to the desserts.....people in my party ordered dessert DURING the main course and we had kids that banged the silverware and plates on the table lmfao, so the waitress and the owners were soooo awesome and the sweet rice with jackfruit or mangoes is a MUST along with the beautiful mango dessert, yall need to make one in jackfruit version of that mango cake! And the main dishes were awesome!! I had undecided curry and I never thought to pair pumpkin, avocado, and some pineapple in a curry SOOOOO FLAVORFUL!!! If I ever return to SLC, I'm definitely coming here to get my Thai fix!!

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