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Address and Contact Information
Address: 435 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 381-4041
Website: http://www.rakthaigr.com/
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Rák Modern Thai & Cocktails | Modern Thai with a twist
Welcome to the Rák Thai dining experience—where familiar flavors meet elevated presentation, all surrounded by international ambiance. Enjoy a wok-tossed entrée …
Rák Thai — Grand Rapids Downtown Market
Offering modern Thai favorites along with appetizers, entrées, and cocktails, RÁK: Modern Thai & Cocktails is proud to provide an elevated dining experience …
RAK: MODERN THAI & COCKTAILS (@rakthaigr) – Instagram
Photo by RAK: MODERN THAI & COCKTAILS in RÁK Downtown Market GR with @dtmarketgr · Photo shared by Grand Rapids Downtown Market on March 16, 2026 tagging @ …
Reviews
larry Hollinger
⭐ Rak Thai at the Market — A Meal With High Highs, Low Lows, and Tons of Potential
Rak Thai at the Market delivered a night full of flavor, personality, and a few execution hiccups that kept the experience from reaching its full potential. There’s a lot here to love—and even more that could shine with just a bit more refinement.
Starters
Dumplings — 4.5/5
Delicious, well-seasoned, and satisfying. A strong start to the meal.
Crab Rangoon — 4.8/5
Crispy, savory, and just the right amount of sweet. Nearly perfect and easily one of the standout bites of the night.
Main Dishes
Pad Thai — 4.5/5
A peanut-forward version with bright, super-juicy lime wedges and a generous portion of cabbage served on the side—a detail I appreciated, since it let me add exactly as much as I wanted. The only drawback was the serving vessel: the portion was quite large and served on a plate rather than in a bowl, which made mixing everything together a bit awkward. Flavor-wise, though, it was solid and satisfying.
Kimchi Fried Rice — 3/5
This one missed the mark. The initial smoky flavor was off-putting, and the dish lacked the tangy, pickled kimchi punch that gives it character. It needed more acidity and depth to balance the smoke.
Khao Soi — 3/5
This dish is the heartbreaker of the night.
The broth itself was phenomenal—possibly the best curry broth I’ve had. Rich, aromatic, and full of promise. But the execution held it back:
Shrimp heads were detached from the tails, which was visually unappealing
The crispy elements (corn chips or wonton strips) were submerged in broth, turning them mushy
The dish already includes noodles, so the added crispy strips felt unnecessary
Even the fried shrimp lost their texture
This dish could be a 5/5 with a few simple adjustments, but as served, it lands at a 3.
Service & Atmosphere — 4/5
Service was excellent—warm, attentive, and friendly. The live music added a nice touch and gave the space a lively, modern vibe.
The only thing that felt slightly mismatched was the balance between portion size, pricing, and refinement. The portions are quite large, and if the restaurant trimmed them down a bit, lowered prices by a couple of dollars, and added a touch more polish to the presentation, the experience would align perfectly with the modern, elevated feel they’re aiming for.
Also, the only napkins available were the ones wrapped around the silverware, which meant having to set utensils directly on the table—an easy fix that would improve the overall dining experience.
⭐ Overall Impression — 4/5
Realistically, this sits closer to a 3.5, but the potential here is undeniable. When Rak Thai hits, they really hit—the Rangoon and the Khao Soi broth alone show what the kitchen is capable of. With a bit more consistency and refinement, this place could easily become a standout modern Thai spot in the market
… moreRak Thai at the Market delivered a night full of flavor, personality, and a few execution hiccups that kept the experience from reaching its full potential. There’s a lot here to love—and even more that could shine with just a bit more refinement.
Starters
Dumplings — 4.5/5
Delicious, well-seasoned, and satisfying. A strong start to the meal.
Crab Rangoon — 4.8/5
Crispy, savory, and just the right amount of sweet. Nearly perfect and easily one of the standout bites of the night.
Main Dishes
Pad Thai — 4.5/5
A peanut-forward version with bright, super-juicy lime wedges and a generous portion of cabbage served on the side—a detail I appreciated, since it let me add exactly as much as I wanted. The only drawback was the serving vessel: the portion was quite large and served on a plate rather than in a bowl, which made mixing everything together a bit awkward. Flavor-wise, though, it was solid and satisfying.
Kimchi Fried Rice — 3/5
This one missed the mark. The initial smoky flavor was off-putting, and the dish lacked the tangy, pickled kimchi punch that gives it character. It needed more acidity and depth to balance the smoke.
Khao Soi — 3/5
This dish is the heartbreaker of the night.
The broth itself was phenomenal—possibly the best curry broth I’ve had. Rich, aromatic, and full of promise. But the execution held it back:
Shrimp heads were detached from the tails, which was visually unappealing
The crispy elements (corn chips or wonton strips) were submerged in broth, turning them mushy
The dish already includes noodles, so the added crispy strips felt unnecessary
Even the fried shrimp lost their texture
This dish could be a 5/5 with a few simple adjustments, but as served, it lands at a 3.
Service & Atmosphere — 4/5
Service was excellent—warm, attentive, and friendly. The live music added a nice touch and gave the space a lively, modern vibe.
The only thing that felt slightly mismatched was the balance between portion size, pricing, and refinement. The portions are quite large, and if the restaurant trimmed them down a bit, lowered prices by a couple of dollars, and added a touch more polish to the presentation, the experience would align perfectly with the modern, elevated feel they’re aiming for.
Also, the only napkins available were the ones wrapped around the silverware, which meant having to set utensils directly on the table—an easy fix that would improve the overall dining experience.
⭐ Overall Impression — 4/5
Realistically, this sits closer to a 3.5, but the potential here is undeniable. When Rak Thai hits, they really hit—the Rangoon and the Khao Soi broth alone show what the kitchen is capable of. With a bit more consistency and refinement, this place could easily become a standout modern Thai spot in the market
Michael
This space has undergone several iterations in the last ten years with the most recent being Rak. We came here on an impulse after seeing the Crab Cheese Nacho’s and let me tell you – we did not regret it. The Crab Nachos are an amazing combination of sweet crab cream cheese with a sweet sauce and crab chunks over fried wonton chips. We also had the Bang Bang Shrimp and Crab Fried Rice. Everything was very flavorful and the staff very attentive. The atmosphere is cozy and bright with well appointed decor and furnishings with a modern flare. We will definitely be back to try more from the menu… The Ramen at the table next to use looked and smelled delicious, so I’m looking forward to that!
… moreMark McCormick
Rak smells heavenly and it’ was quite delicious. I had the potstickers which were amazing and the pineapple friend rice which was great, but not the absolute best I’ve had. It might have benefited from a touch more time on the wok for the pineapple, a touch more seasoning generally, and I like my shrimp slightly blackened. But that said it was good, just not quite great. The interior design is sexy. The music was moodful and the service warm but efficient. Recommend.
… moreYamin Cornell
We met our friends at Downtown Market around 7PM and most restaurants were already closed however this one was still open so we decided to give it a try. Turns out everything we ordered was excellent!
All the dishes were pretty unique and we had a good time there too!
… moreAll the dishes were pretty unique and we had a good time there too!
Kris Anthonsen
This restaurant has the best Thai food I have ever tasted! We were looking for a replacement for our favorite little spot that closed. This place blew it out of the water and set a new standard. The food is beautifully plated, flavor packed, generous portions and a fair price.
… moreMiley Cornell
We had a great time hanging out with our friends at Rak! It was a really cold day and all the other restaurants in the downtown market were closed. Luckily Rak was still open and we got to try their good food! The service was great as well.
… moreMikayla St. John
Stopped in here on a Sunday evening (about an hour to close) and enjoyed every second of our visit. Our bartender (I can’t remember her name) was so wonderful, friendly, and attentive. The atmosphere was clean. The menu was diverse and provided lots of options. The bartender had so much knowledge of the area, the menu, and the downtown market in general. I know there’s a lot of downtown options, but I recommend this stop for anyone looking for a delicious drink or inviting atmosphere!
… moreGarrett Veurink
Blon and his team are incredible. The food is so fresh and flavorful. Drinks are unique and taste delightful. Lots of custom holiday drinks to try and the deconstructed crab rangoon is the best!
… morePao Yang
Stopped here on Mother’s Day for the Rak special brunch. Wow! Very impressed with the food, the service, and the ambience of the place. The Elephant mural was a beautiful touch — it added a sense of culture and story telling to the atmosphere. Each dish was thoughtfully prepared, bursting with flavour and presented with care. The staff were attentive and welcoming, making us feel special from the moment we arrived. It was a perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day — we’ll definitely be back!
… moreAlexys Linares
Was prepared to love this place…I’ve never called to complain about food but today I called because i ordered a $20 soup, I asked for extra seafood…2 shrimp and the mussels and clams were empty so with the normal amount is it 1 shrimp??…also came cold which was probably from the delivery so I can look past…no noodles included and extra to add onto a $20 broth?LOL… ALSO the broth didn’t even fully fill the bowl…When I did call, the manager took the phone and was completely snobby and basically called me a liar. Flavourless cold broth and 2 shrimp, I will say the fresh spring rolls were good. I’m disappointed because I could look past one bad order but bad customer service, unfortunately not.
… more