21points · on 3 of 5 lists: Tripadvisor, Phuket 101 and Phuket Insider
Dinner in the Sky Phuket lifts 22 diners around a single table 50 meters above Karon Beach on a 200-ton crane, with everyone harnessed into their seats. The three-course menu, with meat, seafood or vegetarian choices, is served by staff who ride up with the guests, and the dessert called The Volcano is finished at the table with liquid nitrogen. Sessions are timed around sunset, and a lighter cocktail session suits anyone who mainly wants the view and a drink.
“a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view over Phuket and the sea.”
a Google reviewer
“They even did a bday shoutout and sang for me and the other birthday guests.”
a Google reviewer
20points · on 3 of 5 lists: Phuket 101, Hotels.com Go Guides and Travel Hiatus
EAT Bar & Grill is a European-style steakhouse in Karon whose house cut is the Chateaubriand Original, served with a red wine sauce and a choice of mash or thin-sliced roast potatoes. The owner comes to the tables to walk diners through the menu and the day's specials, which have included A5 Wagyu and ribeye. Sauces and doneness are tailored to each diner, and children get dishes of their own such as Swedish meatballs.
“We ate here twice on our holiday, choosing our last night to have one more special meal.”
a Google reviewer
“The cocktails were great too, and the service made the whole experience even better.”
a Google reviewer
17points · on 4 of 5 lists: Tripadvisor, Phuket 101, Hotels.com Go Guides and Travel Hiatus
On The Rock is a Thai seafood restaurant built on the rocks at the south end of Karon Beach, below Marina Phuket Resort, reached by a path through the resort's gardens. The dining room is in traditional Thai style, mostly dark wood, with the cliff's own boulders standing in for a back wall, a look it has kept for about twenty years. The seaside tables are the most sought after, so it pays to call ahead and ask for one before sunset.
“the view over Karon Beach is really something else.”
a Google reviewer
“We stayed in Phuket for 5 nights and ended up having dinner here every single night”
a Google reviewer
17points · on 3 of 5 lists: Tripadvisor, Phuket 101 and Travel Hiatus
The Pad Thai Shop is a tiny open-air storefront in Karon with bare wood and brick walls, plastic chairs and an open kitchen where every dish is cooked to order. The menu covers pad Thai, pad kra pao, beef noodle soup and crab fried rice, and a rack of sauces on each table lets diners season their food the way Thai people do. Small soups and sides come free with the meal, and sticky rice with banana wrapped in banana leaf makes a sweet finish.
“My partner and I stayed in Karon for a week and The Pad Thai Shop became our favorite restaurant.”
a Google reviewer
“It genuinely feels like stepping into a warm, welcoming home the moment you sit down.”
a Google reviewer
Google ratings from Google on 3 October 2026. Quotes are from the published lists and reviews named beside each one.
Honorable mentions
Fifth, with 13 points from 2 lists.
“Great food and service in nice Turkish style environment.”
a Google reviewer
Sixth, with 12 points from 2 lists.
“Soul vegan cafe is a very relaxing environment.”
a Google reviewer
Named on only one list we found, so it cannot be ranked under the two-list rule.
“Authentic southern Thai food, rare item for Thai people and who love real local southern Thai food in Karon area.”
a Google reviewer
The lists we counted
- Tripadvisor · September 2026
- Phuket 101 · April 2026
- Phuket Insider · October 2026
- Hotels.com Go Guides · February 2026
- Travel Hiatus · August 2025
How the points work
We read every independent published best-of list we can find for the question. Each list gives 10 points for first place, 9 for second, down to 1 for tenth, and 5 points to each place on a list with no order. Points are added up. A business must be in the top 10 of at least two lists to be ranked. Rankings are never sold. Full method.
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