Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine

This is a very late review, but my friends and I came back in September (haven’t been back since) to dine cause we love going out to try Pad Thai and different places. Parking was a nightmare, but I finally found a spot. My friends were already seated by the time I got in, and I believe they had made a reservation beforehand. Our waitress was nice and came to get our drinks, which came out fairly quickly. Since we saw it was a little busy, we decided what we wanted quickly so we could get it going. Two of us ordered the same appetizer, and all three of us ordered Pad Thai. This is where it went down. Our appetizers came out around 6:47, about 35ish minutes after we ordered. Our entrees didn’t come out till 7:31, and we were starving. We had been there since 6 and ordered shortly after. The food came out slightly cold, and we knew if we sent it back just to get warmed up, it would take a while. The spring rolls were fine and warm enough. My Pad Thai was a little on the dry side, but I ate it since it was over an hour before we got food, so I was hungry enough to eat. Our waitress basically disappeared after we ordered and had to flag her down to get refills, cause we had been out of drinks for a while since she never stopped by. I’m sure she was flustered by how busy it got, but a little disappointed overall with the experience. Unfortunately, I don’t think I'd visit this place again.

I’ve heard great reviews for Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine so I decided to try it today. And today’s name was Carol so why not? I sat at the bar & had great service from Tiras. The atmosphere is great & the food was delicious! The owner Jeff personally thanked me & asked for feedback about the menu. So many options! Definitely would recommend! I loved the rice served in heart shape. Presentation of the food was beautiful. Will be going again soon!

Beautiful Elegant restaurant with lovely art surrounding the walls and gorgeous custom lighting throughout the indoor dining, the bar area, and outside patio area was so relaxing and perfect for date night. Emma our friendly server was very informative and helpful with our food selections. The food was absolutely fresh, tasty, and delicious! The tempura shrimp entree was amazing, the wonton soup hand made was perfection, the crab rangoon was tasty, and the margaritas made by the wonderful Tibaris was on point and delicious. Had a great time.

This was our first time here and my sister’s first time trying Thai food. The restaurant has a welcoming and soothing atmosphere. Our server, Eli, was patient when we asked MANY questions. His customer service was excellent. My sister had the Thai Fried Rice with sliced chicken and 0 spice. She loved it! I had the Tropical Fried Rice with tofu (without eggs, as I’m vegan) with medium spice. It was very flavorful. The mix of spice and sweet was perfection. Neither dish skimped on the protein and the portions were generous. I saved room for dessert: Kanom Koh, 3 esteemed dumplings stuffed with coconut & brown sugar, served in warm coconut milk. It was VERY sweet, but delicious! I’m definitely coming back to this place next time in Jax.

We checked out Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine recently and overall it was a really solid experience. The atmosphere was beautiful, relaxing, and had a very clean upscale feel without being overly formal. The service honestly stood out the most. Our server, Melisse, was absolutely amazing. Super attentive, friendly, and made the entire dinner feel welcoming from start to finish. The food itself was good across the board. Nothing completely blew us away, but everything was flavorful, fresh, and well prepared. The spring rolls were crispy and light, the fried rice was solid, and the Thai dishes had great balance without being overly heavy. Portions were fair and presentation was nice. This is definitely one of those places that may not be the most mind blowing Thai food you’ve ever had, but it’s very consistent, enjoyable, and somewhere we’d absolutely come back to, especially because the atmosphere and service elevate the whole experience. Big shoutout again to Melisse for making the night great.

First as foremost, the low review is due to the nasty smell coming from the Bar area. First time here, I was by myself so I sat at the bar during a lunchtime service. I was greeted right away, and told by the person who greeted me that I would simply just sit at the bar. I ordered my food, spicy thai basil, hot, with noodle soup. As I sat waiting for my food I couldn’t stop smelling this terrible smell inside the restaurant. It got so bad I had to say something to the person at the bar who was serving me. She knew right away what the smell could be (she said she didn’t smell it but it was quite strong). Apparently the floor drain in the bar area was the culprit. I did get up and walked away from the bar, in the bar seating area, and the smell dissipated. By this time my food was ready but I asked to relocate away from the bar. Now, the food… noodle soup came out first. Very tasty, fresh ingredients, very enjoyable. Then, Spicy Thai Basil, w/ground pork(hot)… they have mild, medium, hot, Thai hot, and Thai extra hot. The spice was perfect for me…I lived in Thailand for 3 years and Thai hot would be the basic(in Thailand you would have to ask for - no spicy to get the same as the “hot” here) Hot here was just enough to enhance the flavors and not burn your mouth. Now when it was served I did question why it was served in a bowl and more of a hardy soup than a stir fry but they just said that’s how they make it. Anyways, it was very good, just served differently than I ever had it before, still very good. The egg on top was nice and crispy with good flavor. So, back to the 3 star’s… Maybe a pet peeve of mine, but a business should NEVER have a bad smell. The place “looks” very nice and clean but if there is a known reoccurring smell… that’s just bad business. I was going to check out the bathroom but decided against it so unsure the cleanliness and/or if any smells in there or not.

I ordered my regular yellow curry without potatoes & peppers. The order came to me tasting completely different and not good at all. I called the waitress over to ask why this taste different. They put a different type of unknown cabbage & no coconut milk in the dish at all. I had her take it back in order to remake it with regular cabbage. When it came back to me it still wasn't tasting like the dish that I always order when at the blue orchid. Unfortunately, something is going on with cutting corners & saving money. I will not be visiting my favorite Blue Orchid anymore based on my favorite meal has been completely changed for the worst. Unfortunately I paid for a meal that I didn't like & couldn't eat.

I visited the Riverside location of Blue Orchid Thai today and had an amazing experience. Toni provided excellent service and made everything feel easy and enjoyable from the moment I arrived. The food and atmosphere were fantastic, and the attention to detail really stood out. As a nice bonus, if your name is Crystal, you can get $25 off your entrée, which made the experience even better! Highly recommend this spot if you’re looking for great Thai food and top-notch service. I’ll definitely be back!

Food is always good, lovely atmosphere and efficient service. This is the 2nd time Emma has been my server - she's excellent! Knowledgeable, appreciate that she advises on the menu. She's engaging and humorous,while getting things done.

Absolutely delicious and tranquil! The outside seating area is delightful. So peaceful and stunning. The food was outstanding. I want to come back to try more items on the menu. We had the Green Curry and the Massaman Curry. The Thai iced teas were yummy! The service was so wonderful. We had the kindest and most helpful waitress, Sheena. She went above and beyond for us! If you are anywhere in the Jacksonville area you must stop in!