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sway thai
Elevated Thai cuisine in Austin, where bold flavors meet a vibrant, communal atmosphere.
4.8(5 reviews)
restaurant
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Elevated Thai cuisine in Austin, where bold flavors meet a vibrant, communal atmosphere.
Sway Thai offers a modern, upscale take on traditional Thai dishes in Austin's Westlake area. Known for its polished yet approachable vibe, the restaurant features an open-concept kitchen, communal seating, and a lively ambiance. Specializing in elevated classics like the Son in Law dish, blue crab fried rice, and creative cocktails, Sway provides exceptional service, happy hour deals, and event hosting for weddings or gatherings. With a 4.5-star rating from over 1,300 reviews, it's a favorite for date nights, celebrations, and food enthusiasts seeking bold, flavorful experiences.
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Modern, upscale Thai dishes like Son in Law, blue crab fried rice, and tofu pad Thai, crafted with bold flavors and fresh ingredients.
Enjoy discounted cocktails and appetizers during happy hour (5-6 PM), featuring creative drinks and small plates in a vibrant setting.
Host weddings, receptions, and private events with exemplary service, custom menus, and attention to detail for memorable occasions.
Convenient meal takeaway with expertly boxed and labeled leftovers, perfect for enjoying Sway's flavors at home.
Indulge in signature desserts like coconut ice cream and tear-topped treats, offering a sweet finish to your meal.
This will always be one of my favorite elevated Thai restaurants. It is consistently solid, with a polished vibe that still feels fun and approachable. We went during happy hour from 5-6pm, when cocktails are 50% and there is a special food menu. The food portion felt a little strange. It seemed less like traditional happy hour deals and more like smaller portions of their regular appetizers at a lower price. Not a deal breaker, but certainly not a happy hour deal either. For appetizers, the Brussels sprouts were very good and had a nice kick, definitely one to order if you enjoy a bit of heat. The pork rolls were good but nothing particularly memorable. For entrees, the Son in Law is unbeatable and always my top recommendation. It is hands down the best dish on the menu and never disappoints. The crispy chicken, on the other hand, is a pass. There is nothing wrong with it, but for the price you would expect something truly standout, and it just does not deliver at that level. Do not skip dessert. The coconut ice cream is amazing and the perfect way to end the meal. It gets pretty loud inside when they are busy, so going during happy hour or at an odd time is probably the best way to go. There is plenty of parking behind the restaurant. I would definitely make reservations beforehand.
Don’t be surprised by the seating arrangement. That’s right, you kind of sit really close next to randoms. However, it’s not that bad! The service was phenomenal. Kind of feel bad I forgot our servers name but I guess the best I can do is describe him as Shaggy from Scooby Doo … lol ( no offense if you read this ) But anyway, he was extremely intelligent, didn’t mind taking the time to break down the menu for us and providing us with solid suggestions. We ordered the Bok Choy, Steak $44, blue crab rice, Sia Mai (pork), anddddddd oh yes! We also ordered the baby bok choy. EVERYTHING and I mean each dish was fantastic. They have an open concept kitchen and those chefs know how to flavor dishes. The steak was melt in your mouth good but be careful with that paste they provide with the dish if you do not like spicy, don’t use it. The ambiance was on the darker side, semi loud with everyone seated together. Pro tip: If you sit outside, you probably won’t end up sitting with randoms. We will return and often. Prices were on par with what you are getting. My wife and I spent about 190 after tip. Forgot the dessert name but basically you pour tear on top of ice cream and it was just right to finish off the meal. We ended up bringing home enough left overs to have another dinner the next day. Follow me for unpaid detailed reviews in Texas, United States, and beyond.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing a wedding reception at Sway in Westlake and I must say how incredibly impressed I was with the staff. The food was beyond amazing and the experience went beyond the quality of the food to the exemplary plating, attention to detail, and top notch service. They have quality bar drinks, fresh made sodas (the lime and ginger soda is a must try), and staff that go out of their way to ensure you have an amazing experience! Photos copyright Matthew Chambers Photography
I was a regular when I lived in Austin and it's going to see it's still around . The menu classics have remained the same over the years and are still great. My only feedback would be to change the tiger cry steak back to whatever it was before the lean cut they use today . It has the texture of sirloin . Great service and a really cool atmosphere.
First off, The way this restaurant has a scent of burning wood which is my favorite smell.. say less. As a former service industry worker and long time vegetarian, wow. The service was incredible. Very active front of house manager on the floor. Very nice and informative staff. I was here for my anniversary. No reservation around 5:30 with no wait. The cocktails were quality and fresh and quick. Appetizer was tempura veggies. The chili oil or whatever they mixed in with that sauce… perfect. I got the tofu pad Thai. Obviously a spin off of pad thai but the way the tofu was prepared was a first. It looked organically cut to mimic chicken. It was great flavor and I’m a pad thai connoisseur. The texture was also great. My partner got the blue crab fried rice. It’s great all around. If you like spice, ask for their homemade chili oil to elevate it. The amount of actual crab was impressive too. Apps and add on easy to grab sides were a bit slow but I’m nit picking. One last nitpicking bit is that I wish the bowl for this pad Thai is wayyy too small for the portion provided. Lastly, they box up whatever you want to take home so you don’t have to worry about it. They also label it and date it. Definitely coming back!
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