Jo's Modern Thai - Thai restaurant in Oakland - 3725 MacArthur Blvd, USA

I want to start by saying I do want to eat here again and try different things. The best thing we had was the pork belly curry. It has so much flavor and was spicy with some sweetness and we could smell and taste the lemongrass and coconut flavors. We ordered the cucumber salad and that was delicious and fresh and a nice way to cook your mouth after the spice from the curry. The drunken noodles were a disappointment to me. I was so surprised by all the rave reviews for this dish. I had a few bites and had no desire to continue. The blue sticky rice with mango was a disappointment also as I LOVE mango sticky rice. The mango was partly frozen and partly not. The crispy cereal topping added a different texture, but quickly got soggy and didn't have a whole lot of flavor to add to the dish overall. We were glad we made a reservation and were immediately sat, but did have to wait awhile to get our drink order in. Our server was nice, but definitely busy running around so I didn't want to bother her. I'm also so confused by the added 20% tip? I was a server for years and this new mandatory tipping is new and not necessary. To finish off I would be willing to possibly try again, but for the price and hype of this place our first time was a bit lackluster.

Wonderful food, served quickly. You can definitely taste the intricate flavors they design into their recipes. I highly recommend the Laurel Punch cocktail, although sweet it’s deliciously complex and smooth. The restaurant has indoor (dining room and bar stools) and patio seating. At 8pm on a weekend night, indoor dining room was busy, with one or two tables open. The bar seating was half occupied. For a party of 1 or 2 people, you may not need a reservation. Reservations require a credit card and incur a $25/person fee if canceled less than 24 hours in advance.

The coconut cakes were amazing! We also enjoyed the drunken noodles and vegan curry dishes. The cocktails are yummy, too. There was plenty of street parking when we visited. I will definitely go again.

Went here last night with another couple and had a blast. We had cocktails, two appetizers, 3 different entrees, and dessert. The owner was even kind enough to speak to us, but the entire staff was very attentive. The flavors in every dish pop in a great way. I was surprised (in a good way) by the level of spice in the medium dish so maybe go with mild to be safe. Every dish felt like it had a lot of thought put into it. This is a new favorite restaurant for us in Oakland. Real gem. We hope to return and highly recommend it.

Jo’s is by far my favorite Thai place in the Bay Area. Came here first time in January 2023 and fell in love with their Pork Belly Curry and Stiff Curry Cocktail. Came back yesterday for an amazing 3 course dinner with great share-able plates and I’m now convinced of my conviction. This time we got the coconut cakes for starters - excellent combination of coconut and ceviche - party chicken wings - the beloved pork belly curry and their aubergines, which was also a hit with even spicier flavors. For desert we got the mango sticky rice, and the table agreed that we could order a second round - if only we weren’t so full. Their cocktails are also a must. Only great things to say about this place. Will come back again and again!

My last stop on the 2023 Oakland Burger Tour and what a wonderful note to end this adventure on. I thought I would save the most unique for last and I am so impressed. The pork laab burger was plated beautifully with shrimp chips which provided a playful and flavorful alternative to fries. I'd recommend eating it quick while it's still got a crunch to it. I'm glad I knew what I was going to order when I sat down because otherwise I'd have had a tough time choosing. Their entire menu looks amazing and it's clear to see why they've gotten the Michelin attention both years they've been open. Tony and Diana were both attentive and friendly providing excellent service and conversation. Between the two of them they recommended the entire menu and I believe every word. Highly recommended and I'll definitely be back to try the rest of the menu.

Amazing take on Thai food by this chef. If the Pineapple Rice is on the menu, order as soon as you arrive as it sells out. Other inventive offerings…order for the table so you can experience the variety. Lovely waitstaff, attentive but not overbearing. Back garden (covered, well heated with standing heaters) is comfortable but a bit tight and can be somewhat loud however, overlook it all to savor a wonderful meal!

We (4) were excited to try but ended up disappointed. We dined on a Thursday night at about 80% full. First it can get rather loud with hard floors, walls and ceiling echoing conversations so it would be difficult to have a conversation if you had a table for 6. We started with a Coconut cake, 4 about the width of an egg and the length of my thumb. It was interesting with crunch and heat on the back end but not worth the price. We also had a Green papaya salad which was kind of standard Thai fare but too hot for half of our group. This was followed by Lobster pad Thai which was excellent and Massaman Curry which had really deep flavors which was also delicious. We finished the meal with the Hot & Soup soup which we thought was too hot and basically inedible. You also have to be a huge fan of fish sauce if you order it. Service was the biggest issue. While plates come from the kitchen as they are prepared (our soup was the last course) we felt rushed and plates were removed before finishing. On one course, one of our our party just lifted the fork off of her plate and before it could reach her mouth the plate was removed. She was literally eating over the arm of the waiter. Adding 2 beers and the check with tax and mandatory 20% service came to $195.