River’s View Thai and More

Pulled into dock via boat and ate here. This place is next too Beer Shed and shares the outside seating picnic tables. Its a small shed sized restaurant that serves Thai food and hamburgers both, lol. The picnic tables overlook the water. No inside seating. Friendly workers take your order through a half sized door and you can see them cook it right behind. Prices were average and food was good for a shack that seemed like it was in the middle of no where. We will eat here again. The burger was very big and tasted great and the Thai food and noodles were also spicy and tasted great.

Hidden, thought we were on the wrong track… The best of the best !!! Reminded me of Puket island.

Cash only and hidden gem in a neighborhood. On the river with a beautiful view and all outside seating. Next door is the Beer Cave, a bar with indoor seating and where you’ll be directed if you need to use the restroom. Ordered the Drunken Noodles ($ 7.95) with tofu. It was delicious! Great little spot (literally).

Bummer… Thai no more! Owners gone, former employees running it as good ol American food stand. Good luck guys.

Super nice people and great food! They offer a very limited Thai menu and traditional American bar food (hamburgers, hotdogs, etc.). Been here several times and can only comment on the Thai side-​food is quite tasty and with good sized portions, but keep in mind this is pretty much a two person operation. The last time I went for take out I waited 30 minutes with only two orders ahead of me, but it’s worth it.
The river views are great, but the draw back is the townie biker bar next door. If you want a beverage/​soda you you need to enter this den of townie chain smokers (at 11am on a week day it was completely full of smoke) as the food shack only serves coffee and Thai tea. The beautiful outdoor patio seating is smoking friendly, we were the only ones there at 11am, but it smelled like a dirty old Vegas casino after a long night… not ideal for food purposes. How an outdoor area could smell so gross is beyond me. Recommend going early or being okay with the smoke and long wait later in the day. Food is definitely awesome, views great, but there are some detractors. FYI-​you cannot bring your dogs to the patio, lots of signage prohibiting this.

Very nice experience. Quaint, outdoor eating. Under a big moss tree, truly with a rivers view. Deck shared with the Beer Shed next door. Relaxing atmosphere. Live music was a plus. Food was slow, but service was friendly. Food hot and fresh. We tried beef basil and curry chicken. Good flavor. Medium spice was not to hot. The Duck was sold out at 2p. So we will go again to try another time. Thai tea was good, but very sweet. Can rent a paddle bike, on the property, for $ 15 an hour. Looked like fun.

Beautiful setting and the friendliest service I’ve had in ages. The food is legit! Fresh and made to order our authentic, delicious food was delivered with a smile and a Thank You. I cannot wait to return and make my way through their menu. U am so glad that I found this hidden treasure. This spot will definitely be on my list of go-​to places when I am craving Thai food.

Definitely your local authentic Thai food. The crispy duck was excellent. All favors were combined perfectly, wasn’t too sweet like most Thai restaurants in Tampa. Delicious and great portion! Definitely try it out if you haven’t.

Wow, what a hidden gem in my own backyard! I was casually browsing Unilocal for lunch options one day and here I find this highly rated spot in what looked like a residential street.
Crispy duck fried rice, «Thai hot» was definitely a challenge for me. I can usually handle a good amount of heat but the struggle was real. The spice overwhelmed any other flavors and pretty much melted my tongue off. I found momentary relief when I took sips of my Thai iced tea, only to refuel the flame by taking another forkful of steaming hot rice. I loved it!
My favorite thing about this place is the outdoor seating and beautiful views of the Alafia river. Summers may be too hot and humid to enjoy for me, but currently in the fall, the afternoon was breezy and well shaded which made for a perfect dining experience!
I’ve already visited twice in two days, and I can’t wait to come back for more.

Wanted to check out the new location because I missed the food SO MUCH.
There is no indoor seating at the actual Kombo Kitchen /​River’s View but there are plenty of picnic benches and tons of shade. And if you want to grab a beer next door at the Beer Shed, you can sit inside there.
But let me tell you, not only is the food still spot on, I might even say it’s better. I can’t get enough of their food.
Another key reminder — this is the only Thai place that has ever ACTUALLY delivered on the heat. Medium is hotter than most places’ hot, and Hot is hotter than Thai hot of any other restaurant I have ever been to.

This place is excellent. A friend recommended that I tried them out and I did just that. The entire restaurant is comparable in size to a food truck, but I don’t remember seeing any wheels attached to it. My best guess would be that the structure was a storage shed before it was a restaurant. River’s View Thai and More is situated alongside a scenic river and the view of the water is quite nice from the outdoor dining area as can be seen in pictures posted by other Unilocal reviewers.
The food…
Crispy duck fried rice: Imagine the best vegetable fried rice you’ve ever had combined with chunks of delicious crispy duck. The result is River’s View Thai and More’s crispy duck fried rice. The rice is flavorful, aromatic and cooked to perfection. The vegetables are fresh and cooked a tad more than al dente, and the duck, though not mind blowing, is still very good and a much more satisfying option than beef, pork or chicken. As far as the spice level is concerned, I went with medium, which I would classify as spicy, but not spicy enough for my taste. I ended up adding some ground thai chili to my crispy duck fried rice in order to increase the spice level and the result was outstanding. Additionally, whether or not you like your food spicy, I recommend asking for a side of hoisin sauce, as I think its sweet and salty flavor compliments the dish nicely.
The service…
A short, late middle aged Thai woman, who appeared to be the owner was the main contributor to the wonderful customer service I received at River’s View Thai and More. She was pleasant, helpful, humble, and just made me feel good about giving the restaurant my business. There were also two gentleman working there (one chef and one cashier), who were very friendly and caring in terms of getting my feedback in order to ensure that I had a positive experience.
The conclusion…
If you like Thai food and casual dining, I strongly advise that you try this place out. I only tried one dish, but I have an intuition that everything on the menu is great at very least. As a result of my experience at River’s View Thai and More, I plan on dining there frequently from this point forward and intend to sample every dish on their menu. Be safe, eat well and as always…
Happy Dining!

River’s View Thai and More (formerly known as Kombo Kitchen in S Tampa) is the Tampa area’s best kept secret! The new location is reminiscent of how the Thai Temple was eight years ago when I first started going there; a serene setting on the river where you could enjoy Thai food. Times have changed at the Thai Temple because now it’s always packed and it’s not as tranquil. But now I found my new place to relax by the river.
As I turned onto a side road in a residential area, I thought maybe my GPS was leading me astray as it had once before (one time a restaurant’s Unilocal listing had the owner’s residential address instead of the restaurant’s actual address) but this time my GPS did not fail me. Such an odd location for a restaurant but as I looked around, I realized how perfect it is. Situated right on the Alafia River, ducks walking around, dramatic cypress trees providing shade and adding to the ambience, a large patio overlooking the river. I imagined that I was on the Mekong River.
As I walked up to the food stand’s window, the gentleman working there who was sitting at one of the picnic tables came up to take my order and provided me a sample of the panang sauce which I inquired about. It had the right creamy texture I like in panang sauce and had a little kick to it. But I opted for the Amazing Chicken instead because I haven’t had that in awhile. «Amazing Sauce» is a sweet and creamy peanut sauce. It comes with broccoli and white rice but I substituted the broccoli with pea shoots. It was tasty although some may say it’s too sweet. The portion was large and the price was right ($ 7.95, cash only). I also got a Thai tea which was also good. It was nice I could get a refill for $ 1 more. Aside from what’s listed on the menu, the gentleman said he could make whatever dish I wanted. Also, the «And More» part of the restaurant’s name is that they also have an American food menu, which I didn’t even look at. Thai is what I came for and Thai is what I got.
Everything about the experience was 5 stars. I can’t recommend this place highly enough, it is a real treasure. And to make the experience even better, there are water bikes for rent on weekends (see my separate review for Water Bike Rentals). Perfect place to bring your family, friends, out of town guests or a date for a unique experience!

Excellent Thai food. I enjoy the waterside views as well. My only gripe is the smoking due to the bar next door. The owner is a class act.

Very relaxed ambiance with lots of motorcycle groups and happy, friendly people. Food was excellent.

Holy smokes! What can I say… amazing!
Pure genius at work here folks, both in the kitchen and in location choice. Crazy spot, on the water, love it.
Ordered pad Thai, red curry, and steamed pork pot stickers. Without a doubt, THE best pot stickers, ever!
Great pad Thai, excellent curry.
This is a spot we will return to over and over again, Great people, excellent food, hidden location (worth searching for).
Also worth noting, they have great looking American menu for those who don’t do Thai.

This my second visit to River’s View Thai and More (previously renamed and relocated Kombo Kitchen). Found this place on Unilocal and decided to take my wife and sister-​in-​law visiting from California there for a late lunch. The place was tucked away unsuspectingly in a residential area right next to the Alafia River. The dining area is outside on a patio with oak trees providing shade overlooking the river. On the other side of the patio is a beer shack that boaters can tie up next to.
I would say this is a unique concept in dining, but don’t be fooled. The food is awesome, fresh tasting, large portions and surprisingly inexpensive. Such wonder flavors of cilantro, lemon grass and coconut milk in many of their dishes. Please note that if you want true Thai «hot» and not American «hot», just ask. Also, if you wish a Thai dish not on the menu, call ahead and see if they can do it. They made me some Tom Yum soup which was awesome. I found the owners, J.J. and her boyfriend Dennis, to be very accommodating, going above and beyond to serve their customers and to get every order right. I’m so glad I found this place. It was one of the high points in my sister-in-law’s trip to Florida.

Wanted to find something new and out of the ordinary. When you live on the Riverview Brandon line, that ain’t easy. It’s the mecca of chain restaurants. And while Thai food isn’t my favorite, when I am in the mood for it, this will be my new go to spot. Even though I got what I wanted when I asked for out of the ordinary.
When my GPS told me to take a left off 301, I was skeptical. When I was told to take another turn onto a tiny narrow unlit street that won’t allow for 2 cars to pass without one moving off to the side, I was sure the address on Unilocal was wrong. But when I got to the end of the road, a hidden redneck paradise was found. Clearly a spot only the locals know about. There was no parking to be found so I had to improvise a spot under a tree and keep any eye out for a tow truck.
On my right was a redneck bar doing a karaōke night. A tiny shack about 50 feet away was Kombo Kitchen. They’ve only been here for a month. Catering to the bar crowd their menu has 2 sides… one for Thai and the other for basic American foods like burgers and hot dogs. 4 employees were crammed into this shed and they were overwhelmed with orders.
On their specials board it says, «If you don’t want to wait, don’t.» Problem is I already paid. 45 minutes after I put in my order for chicken pad thai, I finally got to see if this place lives up to the hype here on Unilocal.For the most part, it did. I can’t give it a 5^th star… it’s just not quite a 5 star experience. It’s unique though … I’ll give ya that. It’s not often you can enjoy good Thai food at a redneck karaōke bar. People drove up on their tiny cheap boats and climbed over the bank. There was a rusty old pickup truck with «I love boobs» on the back window. You get the idea.
By the way, per their agreement with the bar, you have to order drinks at the bar.
The setting along a river though is pretty cool at night. But just don’t be in a hurry. To their benefit, they gave me an order of vegetable egg rolls (normally $ 3) for my patience. (I never complained about the wait… that’s what Unilocal’s for… they did this just to be nice.) The Thai woman running the show was super nice.
I’ll definitely be back. But not on my lunch hour.

This review is based on the former location in South Tampa.
********
I am so depressed that Kombo Kitchen has closed. I am crossing my fingers that they will make an announcement soon in regards to a new location. Please note that most of this review is regarding the restaurant when it was open.
********
What started out as a food truck is now a brick and mortar and BELIEVE the hype people, the food is great here. My first interaction with Kombo Kitchen was at last year’s Unilocal Around the World Event last May. It was one of my favorite restaurants featured there.
The restaurant is fairly small with limited parking. There isn’t too many tables so you may need to share a table with a new friend. The staff here is friendly, as well. Everything is fresh and made to order so be mindful, there may be some wait. But, it is worth it.
We started with the Spring Rolls and they were very good and well-​portioned. We had the Pad Woon Sen and the Short Rib Special. Everything was delicious and I can only hope to experience this Thai goodness again soon.

Very good Thai food in south Tampa.
I wouldn’t quite call this a sit down restaurant. It’s a food truck with an additional indoor ordering area with some seating.
The food is basic Thai street food: a handful of noodle dishes, fried rice dishes, and curries.
We started with the vegetable egg rolls. They were delivered piping hot. They were very crispy and good. They were served with a rather generic dipping sauce.
I had the crab fried rice. I had it «American spicy,» and for once, I think the spicy rating was correct. It aligns closely with what is considered medium spicy in Thailand. The fried rice was quite good. The crab wasn’t too fishy, and it was nicely complemented with the cilantro and fresh lime. I wish there were a few slices of cucumber on the side, that would have made my memories of sitting in a café in Hua Hin complete.
My husband had the pad see ew with pork. He finished it all, so I assume he liked it.
I also had a Thai iced tea, which was just like I remember from my childhood. Yum.
Why not 5 stars? While the serving sizes are quite large, I think that the prices are a tiny bit high for a glorified food truck with very basic seating.

I dropped by here for an early lunch on a Saturday morning. I had been excited to try this place for some time but was never in the area. I think I was the only customer around the place at 11, so it was pretty quick. The staff were very friendly and helped me to figure out the menu, as I got a bit distracted by the specials. While waiting, I got to explore the seating inside. It was quite nice with a few tables and a clean bathroom. I’m all about clean bathrooms.
I ordered the drunken noodle with tofu, regular hot. The noodles were very fresh and were chock full of fresh basil that gave off a delightful, pungent flavor. The spice level was good as well though I could have gone a bit hotter and may get Thai hot in the future. I appreciated that the tofu had absorbed some of the sauce, as I’ve had some places add the tofu after the dish is finished which tends to make it more bland. I look forward to trying out their other dishes in the future.

Outstanding Asian grub and super friendly customer service. I have a friend who resembles me, and this guy eats here 2 or 3 times a week. So when I walked up, they initially thought that I was him. I had to explain otherwise. I guess all of us white folk look the same!
I stopped in here after a Unilocal event down the street at Pizza Squared. The event left me feeling hungry, and Kombo Kitchen just happened to still be open, so it was my destiny to finally give them a whirl. Seems like I’m usually down on that end on Sundays when they’re closed. I ordered the PAD THAI and some GYOZA (pot stickers) to eat and a fresh Thai tea to drink. All of these items were top notch. I really couldn’t have asked for them to be any better. I hear that their beef bowl is better than the Thai Temple, so I will have to order that next time.
The staff advised me that they will be moving the truck to the back of the small building they now occupy and it will server as their official kitchen for the forthcoming restaurant (proper). Very exciting.