Is there parking at J&T Thai Street Food in Old Town?

Yes, there's parking available in front and back of the restaurant. It's a casual spot, so you won't need to hunt—just pull in and grab a table.

Do I need a reservation, or can I just walk in?

Walk-ins are welcome and the place has plenty of seating. During lunch and dinner rushes, takeout and delivery orders can back things up (expect 20 minutes during peak times), but dine-in typically moves faster.

What should I order on my first visit?

Start with the yellow curry—it's consistently praised for spice balance and flavor. The fried rice with beef is solid too. If you're vegetarian, this spot takes that seriously with strong options across the menu.

Is this place good for kids?

Absolutely. It's tagged as kid-friendly and casual, with a neighborhood-staple vibe. Easy to accommodate different tastes, and service is fast—no waiting around hungry kids.

There's no indication of a patio or outdoor dog seating, so check ahead before bringing Fido. Call to confirm before your visit.

What if I'm vegetarian or have dietary restrictions?

J&T is strong on vegetarian options—that's a core part of their rep. They offer both dine-in and takeout so you can inspect your food before leaving. Word of caution: one reviewer mentioned a substitution mix-up, so confirm your order details if you have specific restrictions.

Is the food quality consistent?

It's mostly solid (4.3-star average), though reviews vary—some praise the yellow curry and fried rice, while others report occasional misses like dry pad Thai or delivery mishaps. The spot has an A health rating, which matters. Best bet: dine-in or pickup rather than delivery to catch issues immediately.

J&T Thai Street Food — Thai in Old Town, San Diego

“J&T Thai Street Food runs counter-service noodles and curries with the speed of fast-casual and the accuracy of a mom-and-pop.”

While the Indian spots nearby still use table service and build meals around the lunch special ritual, J&T strips Thai food down to pure throughput: order at the counter, grab a number, wait maybe 20 minutes even when DoorDash drivers are stacking orders. The kitchen doesn't do elaborate plating or table-side explanations—they do pad Thai, yellow curry, tom yum soup, garlic pork ribs, the greatest hits executed fast enough to work for a weeknight pickup or a work lunch where you've got 45 minutes round-trip.

The yellow curry gets consistent mentions for balancing spice levels that actually register heat without punishing people who asked for medium. It's coconut-forward, not watery, the kind of curry that coats rice properly instead of pooling at the bottom of the container. The garlic pork ribs show up as a reliable order for people who want something beyond the standard noodle-and-curry rotation. Egg rolls are hit-or-miss depending on the day—sometimes crisp, sometimes a little soft—but the kitchen moves volume, so turnover keeps most things from sitting under a heat lamp.

The space itself is mod-industrial clean—high ceilings, minimal decor, seating in front and back if you want to eat in, though most people seem to treat this as a takeout operation that happens to have chairs. The health rating sits at A, posted visibly, which matters when you're choosing between five Thai spots within a two-mile radius. Parking is strip-mall standard: plenty of spaces, no drama.

Expectations matter here. If you want tableside service or complex presentations, the sit-down spots exist. If you want competent Thai food executed quickly enough to fit into a lunch break or solve dinner on a Tuesday when nobody feels like cooking, this is the answer. Skip the pad Thai unless you're eating it immediately—noodles clump fast once they cool down. Stick with curries, soups, anything with enough sauce to survive the drive home.