Mangoes Rest on the hill looks like a postcard with friendly owners and a tattoo shop next door but tiny portions, oversalted dishes and hit-or-miss cooking
Border run = legal trick to reset your tourist visa. Exit Thailand, re-enter same day = new 60-day stamp.
- Get 60 new days (not 30)
- Same day return to Phuket
- All transport included
- 100% success guaranteed
Leave request → Manager will explain everything
FastTrack Thailand = skip 2-hour immigration queues. Personal escort meets you with name sign, guides to VIP lane. 2 hours → 15 minutes guaranteed.
- 2 hours saved every arrival
- Personal escort with name sign
- VIP immigration lane access
- From $40 - cheaper than expected
Book FastTrack → Save 2 hours today
Mangoes Rest — the hilltop Thai that mostly delivers, but not always
First impression vs the fine print
A 4.6-star average from 37 reviewers promises a reliably pleasant meal, and most reports justify that optimism with praise for atmosphere and authentic Thai flavors.
That polish hides a pattern of inconsistencies that matter: portion sizes that some guests call stingy, uneven cooking across dishes, and service that can swing from warm and chatty to forgetful.
Location and atmosphere: what you’re actually paying for
Mangoes Rest sits up on a hill in a bungalow-style setting with an open covered veranda, which multiple reviewers name as the restaurant’s selling point.
The view and the relaxed vibe get high marks; reviewers specifically cite good music, coconut drinks and time to sit and chill while dining.
The immediate neighborhood includes a grocery called Coconut and Beer Shop, a nearby inn called Yanui Memories Resort and two car-rental outfits, so the place is convenient for tourists who rely on scooters or rentals.
The building shares space with a professional tattoo shop, which some guests find an appealing combo of services and others might find distracting.
Food reality: authentic Thai highlights and avoidable misses
Multiple reviewers call the Thai food authentic and delicious; the pineapple-style fried rice earns a specific recommendation as excellent.
Pad Thai is described as good by customers who ordered it, though one guest found whole shrimp heads in their plate — a quality control lapse that changes the meal from charmingly local to careless.
Western dishes are treated as second-rate: a spaghetti carbonara was described as passable but not worth ordering if you know the genuine article.
There are clear examples of overcooking and poor technique — one diner reports a salmon steak that arrived overcooked and tasteless, suggesting the kitchen may lack experience with some proteins.
Multiple notes about excessive salt on dishes signal a recurring seasoning problem rather than an isolated chef quirk.
Service and hospitality: friendly hosts, uneven execution
Hospitality is a real asset here; guests report friendly staff and owners who will sit and chat, which elevates the experience beyond the food.
At the same time, reviewers describe forgotten orders, slow service at the end of a meal, and being left waiting — a service inconsistency that undermines the otherwise friendly front-of-house.
An important practical detail: at least one guest confirmed acceptance of Mastercard and Visa, which is useful in a neighborhood where cash remains common.
Price and portions: reasonable prices, small plates
Reviewers generally call prices reasonable but consistently note that portions are smaller than expected, which affects perceived value.
Drinks can be underwhelming by size standards; an orange shake was described as too small to justify the price, while coconut drinks receive praise for atmosphere rather than value.
Reliability over time and what the numbers hide
The sample in this dataset spans several years with the most recent detailed guest notes from 2019 and older, which points to a sustained positive reputation but leaves a gap in recent verification.
The 4.6 score from 37 reviews indicates most visitors leave happy, yet the recurring negative threads — oversalted food, small portions, occasional service lapses and inconsistency with non-Thai dishes — are too frequent to dismiss as one-offs.
Actionable advice for diners who want a good meal here
- Order Thai dishes and house specialties rather than western plates; pineapple fried rice and Pad Thai are safer bets.
- Ask about portion size before you order and plan to share plates if you want a substantial meal.
- Tell staff to hold back on salt if you prefer balanced seasoning; several guests found dishes too salty by default.
- Choose an outside table on the veranda for the view and atmosphere; that is the core value-add of Mangoes Rest.
- Be cautious with delicate proteins such as salmon — the kitchen has delivered overcooked fish at least once in the dataset.
- Bring patience during service; friendly staff are likely, but someone has a history of being forgotten during the bill or the tail end of a meal.
- If you need to pay by card, the restaurant reportedly accepts Mastercard and Visa, but reconfirm at the table to avoid surprises.
- If you plan to explore the area, note the nearby car and scooter rental options for easier access.
Bottom line — who should go, who should think twice
Go if you value atmosphere, chatty owners and solid, authentic Thai dishes served in a bungalow with a view; those elements are what reviewers praise most often.
Think twice if you want large portions, precise western cooking or perfectly consistent service; this place leans relaxed and local, not precision-fine dining.
Mangoes Rest is a good bet for a relaxed, scenic meal with authentic flavors, provided you order smartly, manage expectations on portion size and tell the kitchen about salt preferences up front.
Short version: come for the vibe and the Thai classics, but leave the expectant steak-and-salmon perfection to places that list fish cook times as a specialty.
7.769475, 98.309875
Comments are closed