Portland's neighbourhood Thai institution on Congress Street — a late-night haven of sharing plates and Singha that makes group dining feel effortless.
Boda describes itself as a "Very Thai" kitchen and bar, and the self-description is both accurate and pleasingly confident. Situated at 671 Congress Street in Portland's West End, it draws its inspiration directly from Thailand's street food tradition: small portions, intense flavours, charcoal skewers, communal eating, and the particular joy that comes from a table covered in dishes with everyone reaching across. It has been Portland's Thai institution since it opened, and it has earned that status without softening its flavours for a New England audience.
The menu is built around two complementary formats. The tapas plates include the house fried peanuts (the best way to begin), crispy wings glazed in a sauce that is sweet, spicy, and complex enough to become obsessive, mussels in lemongrass broth, and a rotating cast of seasonal preparations. The skewer bar offers everything threaded and charcoal-grilled: chicken breast, pork belly, tofu, and occasional specials, each arriving with a dipping sauce calibrated to the protein. The noodle section is where Boda really demonstrates its range: the kee mao — drunken noodles with basil, chilli, and your choice of protein — is one of Portland's best noodle dishes. The woon-sen pad thai, made with glass noodles and served inside a fried egg, is the dish that photographs well and tastes better than it looks.
The room is dark and low-ceilinged, with the pleasant intimacy of a place designed for groups rather than display. The noise level on a weekend evening is festive rather than overwhelming. Service is fast, warm, and calibrated to the pace that Thai street food sets: things arrive as they are ready, the table fills incrementally, and you order more when you run out. The takeout and delivery operation is strong for nights when the walk-in wait runs long.
Boda is open until 10pm daily — late by Portland standards — which makes it genuinely useful as a post-show option after the arts venues on Congress Street, or simply as the kind of place where the evening does not have to end before 9.
Boda is the team dinner that feels like a party rather than an obligation. The walk-in policy means no one is waiting on a late arrival; the sharing format means the food is already a group activity; the skewer bar provides endless variety to suit any combination of dietary preferences; and the price point means the finance team's eyes will not narrow when they see the receipt. A round of cold Singha, a full table of dishes, and a group of people who have just accomplished something worth celebrating — this is exactly what Boda does best. The atmosphere is loose and honest. The food is generous. No one eats Thai tapas quietly.
Address
671 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Neighbourhood
West End — Congress Street
Price Per Person
$30–$50 with drinks and sharing
Cuisine
Thai Street Food, Tapas, Skewers
Dress Code
Casual
Reservations
Walk-in only (takeout available Tue–Sun)
Hours
Daily 4pm–10pm (last call 15 min before close)
Phone
(207) 347-7557
Cast your vote — which occasion does Boda serve best?
You must create a free account to vote and see results.
Join the community to read member reviews and submit your verdict with an occasion tag.
Join Free →Back to all restaurants in Portland, Maine — See the Team Dinner occasion guide — Explore Birthday restaurants — Read our New England dining blog
If you like this room, our editors also rate these in the same city.
Editor-picked alternatives by score, occasion, and cuisine.