Thai Yatai 999 Sangenjaya — As Seen In Japan

Mar 17

Mar 17 Thai Yatai 999 Sangenjaya

Around here, we love Thai food. In fact, I have previously noted that I consider Thailand to be the #1 food country on Earth. I’m actually kind of mad that I’m not chilling in Thailand right now. Our neighborhood in Tokyo has several Thai restaurants, including Thai Sakaba Jam, but only one that looks like Cabo Cantina or Señor Frog’s.

The Sangenjaya location of Thai Yatai 999

Screenshot 2026-03-15 at 11.17.53 AM.png

Screenshot 2026-03-15 at 11.18.41 AM.png

Screenshot 2026-03-15 at 11.18.22 AM.png

Screenshot 2026-03-15 at 11.18.10 AM.png

Screenshot 2026-03-15 at 11.18.31 AM.png

Thai Yatai 999 is a popular Thai restaurant with multiple locations in Tokyo. We’d previously eaten at their Shimokitazawa restaurant, which is in a decent location only marred by the cold and lonely bathroom shared with many other eateries.

The Sangenjaya shop is a standalone location, and looks like a place people would party at on a Friday night. In fact, we’ve seen girls there on Friday night with GIGANTIC drinks in front of them. However, the last couple times we’ve been there, including at around 9:30pm on a Friday, it’s been fairly empty, so maybe it hasn’t hit as a party spot, or maybe we’re just old and it gets going later.

There are plenty of places to sit, though we always seem to be given the same table on the side, right next to a big hook on the wall where you can tie up your dog, which means it must be dog-friendly hooray good news already. There’s also seating upstairs, which is where the bathroom is.

As I said, the dreadful bathroom situation was one mark against the Shimokita location, but this location does not have that problem. This is one of the best restaurant bathrooms I’ve ever seen. The toilet opens itself upon your arrival, happy to receive your waste; there’s free Q-tips and other products laid out; there’s even a TV that shows information about the restaurant. I could live in this bathroom, and I plan to.

The lunch menu at 999 Thai Sangenjaya

Like a lot of restaurants in Japan, 999 has a set lunch menu. You can choose one entree or a combination of two. I got yellow curry and pad kaprao (spell it how you want), and Eriko got khao man gai, AKA steamed chicken over rice with a cold vinegar sauce. It came with with soup, salad, spring rolls, dessert, and a drink. And afterward, they gave us coffee and chocolate for free!

Eriko’s thing was okay, as were the spring rolls. The salad had some chunky potato-salad-like dressing on top, and was also decent but not amazing. What was amazing was my yellow curry. This is one of the best yellow curries I’ve had in Japan. Spicy, smooth, filled with meat and potato, yum-a-dum-dum. The pad krapao was okay, but I’ve had way better and probably wouldn’t get it again.

The soup was delicious, but SO SPICY. Eriko only tried a few sips. I ate all of mine and wanted to eat hers but refrained because spicy things do a number on my tummy. All in all, it was a good deal. A little more expensive than lunch at Thai Sakaba JAM or Isaan Kitchen (another local favorite), but the food might have topped those. Will need to go back many times to decide which I like best.

As proof that we liked our meal there, we went back three days later on Friday night after a fun show at the Space Orbit open mic. With access to the full menu, we treated ourselves to guava and watermelon juice (yum!) and some of their specialties. The menu isn’t gigantic, but contains some bangers.

Drooling chicken at 999 Sangenjaya

The name “drooling chicken” may understandably raise some eyebrows. I can assure the reader that it is in fact you, the diner, who will be the one drooling, not the chicken itself. Strips of meat are dunked in a pool of sour sauce that, indeed, causes one to drool. I’m drooling right now, just writing about it. The herbs on top are a nice touch, though the spicy stringy things were unnecessary. We liked it, and will probably add this to our regular rotation. Great, now I can’t stop drooling.

Pad Thai at Thai Yatai 999

I used to associate Thai cuisine with noodles. When I’d get Thai food in Los Angeles, I’d always get rad na, pad see ew, and of course, pad Thai. Now, I rarely order noodles when I get Thai food, instead opting for curry or something with meat and rice. But we were feeling basic that night, so we went with the classic.

I wouldn’t say this is the best pad Thai I’ve ever had. The peanuts on top were generous, and it had a classic sweet taste that reminded me of the original pad Thai at Thipsmai. However, there were too many onions, not enough noodles, and I’d say most diners would want a bit more punch in there. It’s fine, but you’ve probably had better pad Thai than this. I think it’s noticeable that the things 999 doesn’t do that well are pad kaprao and pad Thai, the two most basic dishes. Maybe they put more of their effort into other things. In fact, I know they do, because we got one of those other things.

Gai yan chicken at Thai 999 Sangenjaya

When you order the gai yan chicken at 999, you are informed that it will take 30 minutes to prepare. That might sound like a long time, but trust me, it is worth the wait. The skin is crispy; the chicken is juicy; the sauce is spicy; EVERYTHING ABOUT IT IS PERFECT.

When our chicken was brought, I immediately looked at the sliced pieces and started doing the math of “how many pieces does she get and how many do I get I want more gimme gimme gimme.” Be warned that some slices have bones and some don’t, so you need to choose carefully if you’re sharing. But don’t share. Get it all for yourself. You deserve it (just kidding you suck).

This is one of the best dishes in town. It is absolutely worth going here just for this. The fact that they do other things well is just a bonus. I want it right now.

Verdict: is Thai Yatai 999 in Sangenjaya worth visiting?

The rest of the restaurant is kind of irrelevant; that gai yan makes 999 worth visiting. Go there and get it and thank me for being your sexy guru.

Compared to the Shimokita location, I’d say this one has a better atmosphere, more space, and better food (I don’t really remember the food at the other 999, which doesn’t say much for it). It seemed to us like it may be struggling to find customers, which is a shame, because the food is good and the prices are reasonable.

Compared to the other places in our neighborhood, it’s more expensive at lunchtime, but much more appealing at dinnertime than Thai Sakaba Jam due to its relaxed atmosphere and focus on classic dishes. We will absolutely come back on Friday nights after Space Orbit, and will probably try it again for lunch when we’re not busy. 999 is now one of our spots.