Chai Thai has been my go-to for a few years now if I am craving Thai cuisine. Located on International Boulevard in East Oakland, they do not have a parking lot so you have to find street parking around the area. They currently have indoor dining but not outdoor dining. If you would like to avoid dining in, they also accept phone orders and you can order online for takeout and delivery. The ambiance of the restaurant is very chill and home-like, filled with cute statues and decorations. It makes you feel as though you are in a different era and makes the food much more enjoyable.
Chai Thai has plenty of options to choose from ranging from appetizers to noodle soup, curry, panfried noodles, soup, and more. I usually come for their Tom Yum Noodle soup with wide noodles which have been my favorite dish for years. I'm a bit biased because that's the only thing I get but I love it! If you like hot and spicy soup with a variety of meat (fishballs, shrimp, fishcake, etc), try out this place. The soup base is more on the tangy side but it is delicious! Not too spicy and not too sour. The texture of the noodles was more on the chewy side, which I tend to like as well. The bowl of noodles is a bit pricey for the number of noodles you get but did not disappoint in terms of taste and quality of service. I've tried other places for their tom yum noodles and this is by far my favorite and nothing compares.
I also tried their other items like pad see ew and pad thai along with their curry dishes. Each item has been delicious and the service and staff are friendly and attentive. While the food is more on the higher end for one dish, the taste is authentic and fresh. They also have a full bar where you can order beer and cocktails. Chai Thai is also located around the Bay Area so you can try them in Berkeley and Hayward as well if Oakland is too far. Each item ranges around $10 and up. For the tom yum noodle soup, I believe it was around $16 so it is more on the pricey side but it is worth it every time. Overall, I would highly recommend this place and you should add this to your list of restaurants to try when you are in Oakland!