Authentic Thai restaurant in Ilsan: rich beef noodles at Drunken Thai

What is Drunken Thai Ilsan?

Drunken Thai Ilsan (드렁킨타이 일산점) is a Thai restaurant on Jeongbalsan-ro near Western Dom in Ilsan, serving rice noodles and Thai dishes close to the local taste. Ever since I came back from a trip to Thailand, eating Thai food in Korea has always left me a little disappointed haha. The spices are weak, or it doesn't feel local, so many places were one-and-done for me. But this time, Drunken Thai, a rice noodle spot near Western Dom in Ilsan, made me say "this is actually Thailand!" for the first time in a while.

Drunken Thai Ilsan opening hours and parking

• Address: 15 Jeongbalsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea (1st floor, Unit 110)
• Hours: 11:00-21:00 (closed Sundays)
• Parking: Available

Drunken Thai's exterior looks like a local Thai noodle shop

The sign of Drunken Thai Ilsan catches your eye even from far away. It isn't flashy, but it has exactly the feel of a Thai street eatery, so my expectations were up before I even went in. It reminded me of lining up outside local restaurants and made me feel like I was on a trip. I found it by searching for rice noodles near Western Dom in Ilsan, and the exterior alone was better than I expected.

What are the interior and seating like at Drunken Thai Ilsan?

The place is clean and the tables are spaced widely, so it's comfortable to eat. The moment you open the door, the smell is different. The scent typical of a Thai restaurant, the interior props and the wall decorations really capture the local atmosphere.

It reminded me of a restaurant I stopped at in Bangkok, so it felt oddly welcoming haha. The place is tidy and the tables are far enough apart to eat in comfort.

There were so many autographs on the wall. Quite a few celebrities have apparently visited, so you can tell at a glance it's a well-known place haha.

So Thai, lol. The tables come stocked with peanuts, chili flakes, hair ties and even candy.

Drunken Thai's pickled chili side dish is the secret kick

The side dishes at Drunken Thai are pickled radish and pickled chili (gochuji). Honestly, this pickled chili is a huge kick. It's spicy and tangy and goes really well with Thai food. I kept reaching for it with the pad thai, with the noodles and with the pad kra pao moo sap. I got refills several times lol.

Does Drunken Thai's Thai tea taste like the real thing?

The Thai milk tea at Drunken Thai tasted just like Thai street milk tea, with sweetness, strong black tea aroma and smooth milk blended together. It's the thing you always drink when you go to Thailand, right? I ordered it right away, happy to see it. One sip and I felt like I was in Thailand lol.

Pad kra pao moo sap: the dish I'd reorder every time

My first recommendation at Drunken Thai is the pad kra pao moo sap (stir-fried minced pork with holy basil)! The spicy aroma rises up and really stimulates the appetite.

The pork was stir-fried moist and the seasoning was just right.

I broke the soft-yolk egg and mixed it into the rice, and the richness made my spoon keep going. It's spicy but not harsh, with really good savory depth.

Eaten with the pickled chili, the combination was the best. Personally it's my number one, 100% reorder dish.

Pad thai: smoky wok flavor, ideal for Thai food beginners

The pad thai at Drunken Thai had really good smoky wok flavor. The noodles weren't mushy and kept their chewy texture.

The shrimp were big and the bean sprouts crunchy, so the textures were varied. Squeezing lemon over it and adding ground peanuts brought back the taste I remember from Thailand. Sweet, sour and savory were nicely balanced, so I never got tired of it until the end.

I think it's a dish even people trying Thai food for the first time can eat without worry.

Tom yum goong: an authentic broth that isn't toned down

If you like spices, I'd definitely recommend the tom yum goong (spicy-sour shrimp soup) at Drunken Thai. The first spoonful of broth hit me with sourness and deep flavor. The lemongrass aroma was alive, and the charm typical of Thailand came through really well.

The shrimp were fresh and there were plenty of mushrooms. It's the kind of broth you keep craving as you eat. It isn't toned down the Korean way but feels just like the local one, which made me even happier. It suddenly made me think of my Thailand trip haha.

Beef rice noodle soup: the rich broth I liked most

The beef rice noodle soup at Drunken Thai was my favorite dish of the day. The broth was really rich!

I could taste the deep meaty flavor of long-simmered beef, and it was clean yet rich, so I kept drinking the broth. The beef was cooked tender and the portion was generous haha.

The noodles were springy and easy to slurp, and adding bean sprouts brought out the texture even more. It works as a hangover soup and as a filling meal, and I was fully satisfied!

Is Drunken Thai Ilsan good value for authentic Thai food?

Drunken Thai Ilsan satisfied me on local atmosphere, local taste, price and friendliness. There are so many Thai restaurants these days, but it had been a while since I was this satisfied with one.

The menu is varied, so it's easy to share several dishes if you go with a group, and the prices aren't heavy, so the value was great too. Above all, the biggest plus was that it recreates the taste I had in Thailand haha. If you're craving Thai food in Ilsan, I recommend Drunken Thai. Especially if you came after searching for rice noodles near Western Dom in Ilsan, I think it will be a choice you won't regret haha.

Drunken Thai Ilsan menu