The Chicken Rice
About
The Chicken Rice is listed on FindALoco in Santa Ana, CA with address, phone, website, hours, and map location. Common services and related keywords include Thai Restaurant.
Located at 201 E 4th St #139, The Chicken Rice is a Thai restaurant in Santa Ana, CA that has earned a loyal following for focused, comforting dishes and friendly service. With a 4.4 rating from 61 reviews, this spot stands out for offering a style of Thai food that feels both approachable and distinctive. Guests often mention that it can be a little tucked away inside the food hall setting, but once found, it rewards visitors with flavorful plates, helpful staff, and a casual, easygoing experience in the heart of downtown Santa Ana.
What brings many people here is the restaurant’s signature chicken-and-rice specialty, especially the original Khao Man Gai that regulars describe as one of the notable versions in Orange County. Diners also call out the BBQ chicken with steamed rice, often paired with ginger scallion sauce, as a memorable order. The Hainan-style chicken is praised for being moist and tasty, while the chicken and rice plate is often served with sauce and a side of soup that adds a light, balanced touch to the meal. For guests who want something crispier, the fried Hat Yai chicken has been noted as juicy and satisfying.
Beyond the house specialty, The Chicken Rice offers a broader look at Thai comfort food in Santa Ana. Reviews highlight chicken dumplings that are crisp and flavorful with a soy-based dipping sauce, along with drunken noodles that bring good flavor and a gentle level of heat. Drinks also leave an impression, especially the Thai iced coffee with milk, which customers describe as strong and worth trying if you enjoy bold coffee flavor. Altogether, the menu seems well suited to people looking for a quick lunch, a relaxed casual dinner, or a dependable meal before or after exploring the area.
The atmosphere is best described as casual and convenient, ideal for solo diners, couples, friends, and anyone wanting satisfying food without formality. Because it is located within the 4th Street Market area, it works well for people meeting up with others who may want different food options nearby. Reviewers repeatedly mention the kindness of the chef and staff, noting that they are available to answer questions and provide warm service. That welcoming attitude helps make the experience feel personal rather than rushed.
For locals and visitors searching for a dependable Thai restaurant in Santa Ana, CA, The Chicken Rice is a solid choice for chicken rice specialties, Thai-inspired comfort dishes, and friendly service. Open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 to 19:50 and closed on Sunday, it fits nicely into a midday meal or early dinner plan. If you appreciate simple food done with care, this downtown Santa Ana spot is worth keeping on your list.
Ratings & Reviews
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Sign in to reviewI got the BBQ chicken and (steamed) rice with the ginger scallion sauce and it was so good! The chef and employee were also very nice and were available for any questions we had. I also got a Thai iced coffee with milk and it is wow! It’s very strong, so fair warning, but also very good! It’s not super sweet or bitter - it’s the perfect in-between. For the food and coffee (with tip) the total came out to about $24 as of January 2026. I will gladly pay that again! :)
The Chicken Rice is one of the top spots in OC for original Khao Man Gai. It’s been a minute since my last visit, so I was surprised to discover that they relocated from their previous Santa Ana location into the 4th Street Market. The Chicken Rice joins a number of innovative food makers featured in this food hall. I parked at a nearby meter but according to their website, there are two parking structures off of 4th and 5th Streets that offer the first 2 hours free! I recommend making it a combo with the Chicken & Rice which includes 2 choices of protein, soup and vegetables. My go-to protein choices are Hainanese Chicken and Crispy Chicken, so I get to enjoy the best of both worlds! The combo includes a choice of signature ginger rice or steamed rice, but you can choose brown rice (+$1) or sticky rice (+$2) for an additional charge. They also allow their customers to select 2 sauces from 8 different options. The Ginger Chicken Oil is a nice complement to the Hainanese Chicken and I enjoyed dipping the Crispy Chicken in their Spicy Soybean Chili Ginger sauce. If you’re a Hainan Chicken fan like I am, The Chicken Rice is a must try!
It’s a different style of Thai than what I’ve had before. The chicken dumplings were superb and crisp with a tasty dipping sauce that is soy based. The chicken and rice dish is delectable and also is served with a sauce and a side of soup. Excellent quick food after a long drive for an event down the block. The market is filled with lots of people and it’s quite noisy.
Food is pretty good. Tricky to find but right next to the parking structure. The worker is very friendly. Great service. The broth that came with this rice bowl was a light seaweed broth and I enjoyed it! The fried hat yai chicken was nice and juicy! Fried rice was decent.
This place was hard to find since it was inside a food court, 4th St Lab. I had Hainan chicken, which was moist and tasty. The sauce for it was interesting. I also had Drunken Noodle. It was a bit spicy, but not as spicy as I normally like. Good flavor, and it actually had something that I do not normally see in a Drunken Noodle dish. I don't know what it's called, but it looks like unripened or green pepper. The seating was in the common area. I had to bring my own tray to the trash bins.
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