Charley’s Thai Cuisine – Best Thai Restaurant on Hawaii’s Big Island
A Best Restaurant in the Big Island's Queen's Marketplace, Hawaii
Waikoloa Beach is one of the resort hotel areas on Hawaii’s Big Island, and as with many resort destinations, there are a couple of small shopping areas in walking distance from the hotels. The Queen’s Marketplace is one such shopping area in the Waikoloa Beach district. Along with the usual touristy shops and a Starbucks, there is a really fantastic Thai restaurant here. Charley’s Thai Cuisine serves everything from mild Thai classics like Pad Thai and satay, to very spicy chili and curry dishes. Warning: Like most seriously authentic Thai restaurants, when Charley’s says “spicy,” they mean it!
Although I haven’t been to every Asian restaurant on the Big Island, Charley’s Thai Cuisine proved to be so superior to any that I have eaten in, that I can safely say it’s one of the best Asian restaurants on this Hawaiian island. Located at the far end of the Queen’s Marketplace area, it feels removed enough from the foot traffic to lend to the restaurant a sense of distinction from the outdoor-mall atmosphere. The decor is Thai, of course, and everything is new and clean. There are also plenty of wine and beer options here: With choices ranging from microbreweries on Hawaii to Thai beer, and an international selection of wines, there is bound to be a drink to meet any guest’s desire. And if there isn’t, the Thai iced tea is a real crowd-pleaser.
Charley's Thai Cuisine in the Queen's Marketplace, Hawaii (Bill Adams)
We were a party of six; our meals varied from non-spicy fried shrimp, to a generous portion of mildly spicy mahi mahi and veggies, to a medium-hot yellow curry stew with plenty of coconut flavor, to a very spicy (ordered that way) seafood and sticky rice dish. The very spicy entrees here really take some acclimation for those of us raised on the Western version of Thai food! I appreciated the variety of options and the authenticity of the curry and chilis here. I wonder if the genuine quality is due in part to the fact that Hawaii is closer to Thailand than are the mainland U.S. states. Whatever the reason, Charley’s Thai Cuisine in the Queen’s Marketplace is one of the best Asian restaurants on the Big Island of Hawaii, and one of the most authentic Thai restaurants around.
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3 Responses
This is the best Thai restaurant on the Big Island hands down!!!! Try the Garlic Shrimp or Mekong Dish you’ll love it.
[...] area of Waikoloa Beach. This popular resort area has several off-resort restaurants, including Charley’s Thai Cuisine, that are both less expenisive and more interesting that the standard hotel fare. There are also [...]
[...] and King’s Shops. The Queens Marketplace has several restaurants, two worthy of note: Charley’s Thai Cuisine and Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar. The King’s Shops is a more upscale block of [...]