Secret Savory

Reviews

• Sharky M.

  star star star star star 31 May 2026

  Very cute+classy interior and really good service! It wasn't too busy when we went so they let us keep our stroller folded out!
  
  It's a split level restaurant (most of the tables are on a floor about two feet lower than the entrance) so if you are in a wheelchair you will want to make a reservation just in case, during peak hours, and let them know you need one of the 3 tables that are accessible.
  
  I will say the prices are a bit high but the presentation is way better than your average Thai place, so you're paying a little for that. It's not as expensive as Pestle Rock for what we got. I'm not sure if lunch portions are smaller but those come w rice if you dine in so maybe try lunch specials first.
  
  We really enjoyed our dishes:
  
  Shrimp paste eggplant: eggplant was done sooo good.
  
  Hung lae curry: really tasty pork belly pieces! It's a bit similar to a mole sauce in color and consistency and has slices of ginger. Very cute plating. Would not recommend if you're looking for a curry with tons of stuff in it or you don't like ginger. My only suggestion to the restaurant is some of the non fatty pieces could have been more tender.
  
  A much bigger table sat near us and every dish that came out for their table looked super amazing. We'll have to come back and try other stuff that we normally can't get from generic American-Thai places.
  
  I could see if this place got really popular soon, the experience could suffer. They still seemed like they were working things out and only had two servers, with some customers picking up to-go. They were very attentive and kind, though.

• Monica S.

  star star star star_border star_border 29 May 2026

  Welcome to the neighborhood, Secret Savory! I honestly was a little underwhelmed by their offerings. Some were great, and while they do have an extensive vegan/vegetarian menu, I felt like they weren't as good as the other vegan and vegetarian Thai places in the area.
  
  The menu was also very confusingly set up, only 1 server for the whole restaurant (she did an awesome job, but I just feel bad she had to run around so much), and no visible non-alcoholic drink menu. We were craving some Thai iced tea and saw no mention of it on the menu, but when we saw someone else order them we got super bummed!
  
  For food, we got:
  
  Traditional Northern Thai Sausage- bit of a weird presentation, but the taste of the sausage was good and flavorful, and oddly enough the lettuce on the plate added a nice crunch to the dish.
  
  Savory Crispy Chicken- this one was tasty, but reminded me of orange chicken a little...the broccoli was promising, but under seasoned.
  
  Phad See Ew- we got this one with beef. The noodles clumped together a little too much, a little over seasoned, but the beef was cooked well.
  
  The service overall was fast, taking into account the 1 woman show! I'd give this place another shot, but I feel like there is a number of improvements to be made!

• Brendon W.

  star star star star star 25 May 2026

  Modern-looking, clean, and bright restaurant with good food.  Two dishes I tried were fantastic: the papaya salad and the shrimp paste eggplant.  Both dishes were flavor-indoctrinated.  The papaya salad is as good as it gets: it had a nice kick, tasted great, and was refreshing!  The shrimp paste eggplant was truly well made and outstanding (this is coming from a Chinese person who knows the difference between a good or bad eggplant dish).  My only complaint with the eggplant dish was that it was a little too salty.  But the small cabbage soup and rice paired well to balance any salinity issues.
  
  Papaya salad: 9/10
  Shrimp paste eggplant: 8/10

• Allison F.

  star star star star star 25 May 2026

  Panang Tofu - delish and gorgeous presentation.
  Great ambiance - clean and modern style.
  Great music - Playing 90's r&b.
  Fast and friendly service.
  I recommend.

• Marie B.

  star star star star star 24 May 2026

  I decompressed at home for about an hour, then jumped back into the Friday commute because this Yelper was feeling restless and hungry. In search of dazzling flavors, of course.
  
  Meandered through a handful of neighborhoods, and ended up along Market in Ballard. Found a monstrous parking spot...so where's my Hummer or Escalade? lol
  
  Tried the new parking meter system using one's license plate, no more stickers. Typed in Hot and New Ballard via my trusty Yelp app. Secret Savory popped up top of the list and located only few hundred feet away. Okay, why not?
  
  It's just down the street from Sonic Boom, a favorite indie music store. Found Secret Savory...very bright, sleek, modernesque interior. Had a chance to checkout the menu while waiting for an available two top. Very gracious and smiling pair of wait persons, which buoyed my spirits dining solo.
  
  My selections arrived in a reasonable amount of time too. Strategic menu ordering also helped.
  
  Garlic and Black Pepper Crispy Soft Shell Crab arranged on shredded lettuce and copious garlic bits with a sweet plum dipping sauce ($14) hit the spot. Not soggy or overbreaded. Nice crunch and tender crab!
  
  I also ordered the Eggplant with Shrimp Paste ($13) and some steamed Jasmine rice ($2) to accompany the tasty crab.
  
  This entree came out piping hot and vegies not overcooked. I was surprised that it was very generous prepared with onions, celery, green peppers, red peppers, minced pork, and plump shrimp...not just eggplant. Delicious with interspersed with tiny bites of freshly steamed Jasmine rice!
  
  Generous and shareable entree servings, so the rest of it was boxed up with a orchid garnish to take home.
  
  Now I have three Thai favorites located along hopping Market, Pestle Rock, Sen Noodle Bar, and now Secret Savory. The latter a much welcomed addition to the Ballard restaurant scene.
  
  Four stars for the food with an extra star added for the appealing interior layout and gracious service.