THE HUNGRY HOURS

The biggest Thai community outside Thailand, right next to Hollywood? | The LA Thai Town map

Ten minutes east of the Walk of Fame, the signs on Hollywood Blvd switch to Thai. The Thai Town map: boat noodles, northern Thai curry noodles, 2 a.m. stir-fries, weekend temple markets, and how to really pick your spice level.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

Full text

1. 01 | Why is Thai Town next to Hollywood?

   Officially named on October 27, 1999, after eight years of campaigning by Thai community groups, who say it's the world's first Thai Town. LA's Thai community is often nicknamed Thailand's '77th province.'

2. 02 | The Thai menu, translated

   Kuay teow reua (boat noodles), khao soi (northern Thai curry noodles), larb (minced meat salad), som tum (green papaya), pad kra pao (holy basil stir-fry). Kuay teow is the same word as Taiwanese 粿條, so Taiwanese people get it instantly.

3. 03 | Spice levels and 4 rules

   Mild → Medium → Hot → Thai hot; first time, order medium. Boat noodle bowls are small, so two per person is about right; bring cash. 'Thai hot isn't a challenge, it's a culture. Know your limits.'

4. 04｜Jitlada

   Four hundred-some dishes, but everyone comes for the Southern Thai: crispy catfish salad, crying tiger pork neck, and the very spicy kua kling. Reservations on Resy since 2026.

5. 05｜Sapp Coffee Shop

   It's called a coffee shop, but everyone's here for the boat noodles and green jade noodles, with a Thai iced coffee. 'A coffee shop in name, a noodle shop at heart.'

6. 06｜Mae Malai

   From a weekend street stall to a 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand. The boat noodle bowls are small and the broth is rich, so order two or three kinds; finish with a two-layer pandan coconut pudding.

7. 07｜Ruen Pair＋Kanomwaan

   A longtime central Thai stir-fry spot in Thai Town, for a table of friends with beer, open till 11 p.m.; afterward, walk to Kanomwaan, from the same couple, for Thai gelato.

8. 08｜Luv2Eat Thai Bistro

   Southern Thai food from two Thai American women, with recipes from a grandma who's nearly a hundred. Phuket crab curry with rice noodles, and always flip to the Chef's Special on the menu.

9. 09 | 5301 Sunset Blvd: one plaza, two bowls of noodles

   Amphai's northern Thai khao soi, and Pa Ord's boat noodles with a pork blood broth; Pa Ord's owner sold boat noodles at a floating market in Thailand and has been making them in LA for over twenty years.

10. 10 | Thai Town in the morning and after midnight

    Siam Sunset serves Thai breakfast, crullers dipped in condensed milk and jok rice porridge, cash only; Kruang Tedd is open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., with live music.

11. 11 | Three kinds of food on one street

    Lacha Somtum has a dozen-plus green papaya salads, Heng Heng does Thai Hainanese chicken rice, and Hoy-Ka's signature is the Sneaky Pork.

12. 12 | Browsing: grocery stores + desserts

    Stock up on coconut milk, curry paste and fish sauce at Silom Supermarket and make green curry at home; Bhan Kanom's coconut pancakes often sell out early, so go before 8 p.m.

13. 13 | Beyond Thai Town

    Night + Market (Silver Lake, WeHo, Venice), Holy Basil in Atwater, and Ayara Thai near LAX, an easy stop before a flight.

14. 14｜Anajak Thai

    A neighborhood spot Dad opened in 1981; after his son took over, it won the James Beard award for Best Chef: California in 2023. The Hat Yai fried chicken is a must; Thai Taco Tuesday is reservations only.

15. 15 | Weekend temple markets + Thai New Year

    At the Wat Thai weekend temple market, buy $1 tokens first and get there before noon; April's Songkran closes Hollywood Blvd, and in 2026 it even set a Guinness record for pad see ew.

16. 16 | Three routes

    A Thai Town day from breakfast at Siam Sunset to dinner at Jitlada; the weekend north route goes from Wat Thai to dinner at Anajak (reservations needed); or head west on Sunset Blvd to Night + Market WeHo.

17. 17 | Two-city mirror

    In Taipei, Thai food means walking into a chain restaurant; in LA, a whole stretch of Hollywood Blvd is called Thai Town. 'The same bowl of kuay teow is one restaurant in Taipei and a whole street in LA.'

Places in this story

• Jitlada

In this series

• The LA brunch map | An LA weekend starts with brunch
• The LA Taiwanese breakfast map | How far do you drive for shaobing youtiao in LA?
• The LA coffee map | Which kind of LA coffee do you want?
• The LA bakery map | Why do you have to get up early for bread in LA?
• When did LA bagels get this good? | The LA bagel map 2026
• The LA juice & smoothie map | Why does one smoothie cost that much in LA?
• The LA taco map | In LA, the taco is the real national dish
• Why does everyone's first meal in LA have to be In-N-Out? | The LA burger map 2026
• Why do people line up for seventy years for one pastrami sandwich? | The LA old-school deli map
• In LA, dessert is a mood | The LA ice cream & dessert map 2026
• The LA farmers market map 2026 | Which day, where, and which stall first
• Why drive to the San Gabriel Valley for dim sum in LA? | The SGV dim sum map
• Why does everyone hit Sawtelle for ramen in LA? | The Sawtelle Japantown map

Read it with the slides →

An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).