Thai At Laurel in Baltimore: Suburban Thai with Laurel-Area Pricing and Weekday Lunch Specials
Thai At Laurel is a full-service Thai restaurant in Laurel, Maryland, about 25 miles north of downtown Baltimore, serving curries, noodle dishes, and stir-fries in a casual dining format with full liquor service.
What Thai At Laurel Actually Is
This is a neighborhood Thai restaurant positioned between casual takeout and fine dining. The dining room seats roughly 50 people and operates as a destination for people willing to drive to Laurel, rather than a walk-in spot near the Baltimore waterfront or Canton. The restaurant handles both dine-in and carryout orders and does not offer delivery.
Menu, Pricing, and What Sets It Apart Locally
Lunch entrees (Monday through Friday, roughly 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) cost $9 to $13 and come with rice and a choice of protein: chicken, pork, beef, or tofu. Dinner entrees run $12 to $17. Pad Thai, Panang curry, and green curry appear on most Thai menus; Thai At Laurel also offers duck curry and a house specialty of crispy duck with Thai basil, priced at the higher end of the dinner range.
Appetizers (spring rolls, satay, tod mun fish cakes) range from $5 to $8. The restaurant sells beer and wine by the bottle and stocks Thai beers like Chang and Singha, which many Thai restaurants in the Baltimore area do not regularly stock. A full cocktail menu includes mai tais and other spirit-based drinks, each priced between $6 and $9.
Compared to Thai restaurants closer to Baltimore proper, Thai At Laurel's prices align with Charm Thai in Canton (dinner entrees $13 to $18) and are slightly lower than Pad Thai in Fells Point (dinner entrees $14 to $19). The key difference is that Thai At Laurel's lunch pricing is aggressive: $9 entrees represent a savings of $3 to $4 versus dinner pricing at the same restaurant, and a $2 to $4 advantage over lunch specials at competitors closer to downtown.
How to Order and What to Expect on a First Visit
Call ahead or order in person at the counter. Tables are first-come, first-served during lunch; dinner reservations are recommended on Friday and Saturday but not required other nights. Food arrives in 15 to 20 minutes for dine-in orders; carryout takes 10 to 15 minutes. The staff does not push for table turnover and will accommodate requests to modify spice levels, though the kitchen does not separate ingredients for severe allergies.
Hours, Location, and Parking
Thai At Laurel is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and closed Sunday. It is located on Route 29 in Laurel, with free parking in a strip-mall lot. From downtown Baltimore, allow 35 to 45 minutes of driving time depending on traffic on I-95 or Route 29. Hours and meal specials can shift seasonally; confirm via phone before a visit.
Who This Suits and Who It Does Not
Thai At Laurel works for people in Laurel, Columbia, or northern Prince George's County who want Thai food without driving into Baltimore. It suits weekday lunch visitors who prioritize value and can eat between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. It does not suit those seeking a nightlife scene or a destination meal in the Baltimore restaurant district, nor those relying on public transit or delivery. The casual atmosphere is family-friendly during lunch and early dinner but not designed for upscale celebrations.
Why It Matters for This Guide
Thai At Laurel serves a geography most Baltimore guides overlook: the commuter belt north of the city where Thai options are scarce and prices reflect lower overhead. For people in that zone, it eliminates a 45-minute round trip into Canton or Fells Point.
