Tusk Thai Cuisine
102 N River St, Batavia, IL, 60510
Tusk Thai Cuisine Menu
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Address :
102 N River St
Batavia, IL, 60510 - Phone (630) 406-6995
- Website https://www.tuskthai.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Deb H.
I adore this little place. The lunch specials are just the right size and price, and the service is fast and efficient. The Basil Chicken is a repeatable offense. There are plenty of appetizer and dessert choices to round out your meal, but I don't always find this necessary. The main dishes pop with flavor and quality. The building and location are both unassuming, but please don't let this deter you. Here's a book that shouldn't be judged by its cover!
(5)Rob H.
Almost perfect. My S.O. and I have an obsessive need to find the best Thai food, nearest Elgin. Since the passing of our beloved Akina's, our search has taken us from Crystal to Schamburg, Saint Charles, Algonquin and Batavia. Tusk does so many things well. Tusk is a BYOB restaurant. There is no corking fee/glass fee for bringing your own wine/beer. Most of the other tables here also had a bottle (or more) of wine on them. This is a really nice touch, and one of the reasons we chose to try it. Tusk is a very small restaurant, perhaps 20 tables for 2-3 people. So arrive early or expect to wait. Arriving at 6:30 on a Saturday, my party of 3 got the last table for about an hour or so. Next time, I will plan to arrive earlier, or much later. There is construction on the streets nearby, which creates some additional hassles. Also, the surrounding area is quite crowded with restaurants. Expect parking to be an issue. There is a very very small parking garage across the street. However there was only a single space available when we arrived at 6:30. The tight corners and narrow spaces may be intimidating for larger vehicles or hesitant drivers. **TIP: drop your passengers off, then locate a parking spot. This may get you in quite a bit earlier, as parking could be a 10-15 minute hunt. ****** For the main course dinners as follows: Panang Curry with chicken: My wife's favorite curry, and this one was delicious. Nicely balanced sweet/sour/spicy/salty flavors. Pad Thai with tofu: Well made, with noddles having a nice firm consistency, and fresh bean sprouts, and carrots. Larb Kai with ground chicken: Finally, a place that serves this. Ordered extra spicy and I was in heaven. For dessert we requested mango's and sticky rice. Unfortunately, they brought us papaya and sticky rice. Not quite the same thing. It wouldn't have been a big deal to tell us they didn't have ripe mangoes (which I would have greatly appreciated.) Instead we ended the otherwise delicious dinner on an off note. Also the only reason why the got 4 stars not 5. Ce' est la vie. Definitely want to go back and see if they can do better in the dessert area.
(4)William B.
We have been eating at Tusk regularly since they opened. Nice people, good service, and excellent food. We are vegetarian and their vege sellections are excellent!
(5)E W.
Amazing Thai food at very reasonable prices! My husband and I frequent Tusk regularly, and never get tired of the great menu options (there are many). Our favorites are the Tom Kar soup and the Mussamon, The spring and summer rolls are also very tasty appetizers too! Its a small space, but perfect for a mellow evening out. The food is always fresh and delicious, and don't forget to BYOB! We love you Tusk!
(5)Dan G.
Great atmosphere and phenomenal food. Great little BYOB with great service and unlike every other restaurant they don't nickel and dime you for extra rice etc. Seafood red curry is a must.
(4)Bill J.
This was my first time at Tusk, and I have to say the food was excellent! I will be returning very soon!
(5)Karen S.
I went to Tusk on a Saturday night with three girlfriends. I hadn't been in a few months and was craving Thai. The place was packed but the staff was very friendly and communicative on when we would have a table. We were seated and immediately brought glasses and a corkscrew for our wine. This place is BYOB! We each ordered an appetizer and an entree. I had the Money Bags which are crispy little stuffed pouches. Two friends had the Chive Dumplings which they have raved about in the past. For an entree I had the Pad Thai with chicken. It's nothing exotic, but I think Tusk has the BEST. I couldn't tell you what my friends ordered because I was so wrapped up in my Pad Thai, but they all enjoyed their dinners. The place was winding down for the night but our sweet server - who I believe is the owner's daughter - never rushed us so we stayed and chatted and finished our wine. Our bill was $20 each for app & entree which I think makes for a great, reasonable girls night out. Overall the food and service was great. I always love this place and need to visit or do carry out more often.
(5)Smith L.
Great food and service and it's a BYOB! Had a Friday night reservation and our table was ready for us when we arrived with wine glasses and opener on the table. Made a good choice in ordering the Siam sampler for a starter and were able to try 5 different appetizers that were not only delicious but beautifully presented. For entrées we ordered cashew chicken and the spicy garlic scallops and both were excellent and made with fresh ingredients. Servings are just the right size and we had room left to indulge in the Thai pumpkin custard that was the perfect ending to a great meal. Wonderful dining experience for under $40 for two people.
(4)Linda R.
Dreadful. I don't see how anyone could rate this as acceptable. The first time I met someone here for lunch I thought I must have had an unusual experience based on the positive reviews. Nope. Went there today to meet a different friend. The only thing positive was the water and the price. Sesame chicken had tiny bits of chicken in mounds of batter and a thick sauce that didn't contain any sesame seeds. The rice was soggy. No vegetables. Poorly made spring rolls. My friend's Pad Thai was just a gooey mass of noodles with a couple of sprouts. The lime, cilantro, egg and carrots were missing. I have been to Thailand multiple times and street vendors do a better job. Avoid this place.
(1)Andy P.
Wow wow wow!! Amazing food with amazing personal staff. I have been to many Thai restrants in Chicago and this by far my favorite. Curry chicken is perfect savory flavoring with right spice. I love there cat fish as well with extra sauce. I wish this small establishment would get on Chicago's best or something. By the way the beef salad is very good also.
(5)Dave S.
Life isn't fair. How come I live in Lombard, with a population of 43,000 that has no Thai in its downtown area, but little Batavia (population of 27K or so) gets THREE Thai downtown joints? Why? Where was the Thai when I lived here? Of those three, Yelp reviewers gave the biggest thumbs-up to Tusk Thai. I remember this building as the place that used to be the ironically-named Global Cafe, a coffee shop owned by the current city administrator, back in the '90s. But that somewhat sterile environment is long gone, with pleasant paneling, lighting and shades. However, it is still cozy. We were about to be seated in a cramped table for two, but when my wife and her big winter coat couldn't easily fit into the seat, they quickly offered to move us. It was still a little cramped, and as were by the door, we felt a draft every time someone came in for a seat or for take-out, and there were a fair number of people taking it out. With time to kill before the play at the local theater started, we ordered an appetizer of tempura before entrees of drunken noodles and panang with crispy noodles. I'm not an expert on tempura, but I can't imagine it ever being much better than Tusk's version. Light breading, a big and tasty variety of vegetables and shrimp, decent sweet-and-sour sauce. Who would slice a cobette in half and fry it? Tusk would! Cool. Even the carrot was good. My drunken noodle entree (no "pad kee mao" here, just "drunken noodles") was a little light on the drink, and that was just fine for me on this evening. A nice assortment of vegetables were part of the entree. It was pretty good, though not a personal best. My eyes kept wandering toward my wife's dish. (Usually my eyes wander her way anyway.) The server (and daughter of the owner) said that, even though rice soaks up the panang sauce better, using lightly-fried noodles was the trendy urban way to eat panang. (In Batavia? Trendy? Well, it's not the town I remember, so maybe.) And it was fantastic. Our entrees came before we were finished with the appetizer, but the server's suggestion was not to wait on the noodles. The panang had a good mix of vegetables and meat. The crispy-in-places noodles were a welcome complement to the incredible sauce. Tusk's panang has spoiled my wife. She's told me that she won't be able to try anything else on Tusk's menu. Maybe panang with rice. But that panang was killer. Get this and you may want a spoon to get at the rest of the sauce. Or a straw. I won't even fault you for licking the plate; it crossed my mind more than once. Perhaps next time I'll get something else and have an updated review, but I don't see how I can give Tusk less than five stars. It's quality food and a decent price with a nice, small-guy ambiance. Dang you, Batavia. Lombard should be so lucky.
(5)derek p.
First: Tusk is the best Thai in the area. Second: It's not cheap, but the prices are definitely on par with the quality. See, I like shoving food in my hole until my speech slurs and my heart tries to climb out of my chest. I probably eat upwards of 1,200 calories in one sitting when I eat out, so when I go here I always get two entrees and spend kind of a lot of money. I am docking one star for the lack of binge-eater-portion-size options.
(4)Matt K.
This place is great! Delicious Thai food for a very affordable price. The fact that it is BYOB just adds to the value. The servers were very kind and attentive as well. Only complaint is it can feel quite crowded and small whilst waiting for your table. I would reccomend this restauraunt to anybody looking for a delicious dinner that won't break the bank.
(5)hightopper m.
I tried Tusk for the first time yesterday for dinner with a friend. We loved the summer and spring rolls. It's also a great option for vegetarians. It's on a neat little street and the vibe inside feels like a family operation (though I don't know for sure). Service was prompt & we liked the BYOB. Everything was fresh and well seasoned. I would definitely return.
(4)Jeff M.
Love this restaurant. We went to Thailand last year and loved the food. We tried to find authentic thai food all over the suburbs and our friends told us about Tusk. This place was spot on! Amazing food and the nicest people ever. The whole family is awesome. They have great appetizers, main dishes and desserts! Plus a bonus is that it's bring your own beer and wine...very romantic. Recommended!
(5)Gordon G.
Everything I have tried from here has been delicious. I usually get the green curry with pineapple added and the pineapple is the best pineapple I've ever had in a curry dish. My gf is in love with the pad Thai and could eat it on a daily basis! It's reasonably priced and a great option for takeout. It's also great as leftovers.
(5)Steve G.
What a treat! After leaving another Thai restaurant where we were ignored by the staff when we entered, we drove a little further and checked out Tusk. Wow, talk about "worth the trip"... Cozy place, clean as a whistle. Great menu of food, and excellent service. We were the second table in on a Tuesday night, but by the time we left the place was full. And with only one waitress on duty, we still felt more welcome than we did at the first place we stopped. The chicken in the Green Fire dish was tender and tasty, the Red Curry was also VERY flavorful, although it could have been spicier. And the Chicken Satay could have used a bit more heat, too - but it was very good as well. TIP: It's BYOB here and every table brought wine with them, so don't leave home without a bottle!
(4)Matt W.
Take the delivery option off your page if you don't actually deliver. thx.
(1)Pat E.
Since I had already tried Vinothai and Thai Zie, I wanted to try another Thai place in the Tri City area, and Tusk Thai did not disappoint. I ordered Pad Thai Pork, but before that, I got Tom Yum Chicken. The Tom Yum wasn't anything to write home about, but it was decent. It was kind of like a .500 baseball team in a crappy division, that still has a chance to win but never really "wows" anyone, if you will. If you don't know about baseball or sports in general, I am sorry that I confused you. Actually, not really, shame on you! Haha! The Pad Thai Pork was excellent! Lots of flavor. I ordered it extra spicy, and the first three or four bites weren't that spicy, then I got into the nitty gritty....MERCY! I was sweating like a fat man in Tuscon, Arizona crossing the border illegally! I also added a little hot sauce prior to that, but it was nothing much...but mercy Thai ladies in back (I only saw ladies on the staff), you kicked my booty! Our waitress, well, how do I say this without sounding like a complete jerk...I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND A WORD SHE SAID. She took our order, we got our food rather quick, so that was nice. The nice hostess girl was my hero, constantly filling my water, because I was sweating like O.J. and Casey Anthony right before they were found guilty of murder...wait, what...? Nevermind. Tusk Thai is a nice place with good prices. I recommend to anyone who is in the area.
(4)Kedar D.
Wow, Tusk has improved a lot since I first went there (shortly after it opened). For one thing, the menu explicitly states that it doesn't use fish sauce (though I later learned they might use oyster sauce, so make sure to ask questions if you are vegan or vegetarian) and it offers at least a few unusual dishes, as well as a coconut ice cream vegan dessert. This time around I got a few dishes for take-out: -chive dumpling (appetizer) ($4.95) -"Thai Fire Dish" with tofu ($10.95) -"Five Star" with tofu ($10.95) The chive dumpling is a dish you won't easily find at most other Thai restaurants in the Chicago area (or anywhere, for that matter). It's basically pan-friend rice dumplings filled with chives. While the dish sounded good in theory, in execution I found the dumplings bland, even with the sweetish soy dipping sauce they give on the side. I think they need to put more chives and maybe garlic and other minced vegetables in the dumplings in order to add more flavor. The Thai Fire Dish is labeled extremely spicy and they aren't kidding: this dish will have you in tears. That said, if you like extra-spicy dishes, this one is a goldmine. I loved the savory flavors and the mix of vegetables (bamboo shoots and bell peppers) which gave the dish a colorful look. The Five Star provided good contrast as it featured more sweetness; indeed, the sauce consisted of half savory and half sweet tones. Mixed with roasted chili, the sauce came out pretty well but could have been just a tad less sweet. That said, it's an unusual flavor that you won't find at other Thai restaurants easily. Both main dishes come in generous portions that will give you lots of leftovers. One gripe: Tusk doesn't offer brown rice. Lastly, they have a non-dairy coconut ice cream on the menu which I didn't get, but which is pretty awesome, nevertheless. Most Thai restaurants will only have sticky rice with bamboo as the vegan dessert of choice; Tusk, in offering a coconut ice cream, shows some creativity and boldness. I like that. All told, Tusk is a pretty solid restaurant and much better than the other Batavia Thai joints; there are only two Thai restaurants, in my humble opinion that beat Tusk in the Chicago area: Bangkok Restaurant in Geneva, and Urban Vegan in Chicago. All that said, I will be returning to Tusk.
(3)Joe E.
Good Thai food. As you can see in my previous reviews, it's tough to mess up Thai. However, TT had relatively slow service, even when we were one of three parties in the restaurant. Also, we kept having to ask to have our drinks refilled. Soup was okay, and my Kee Mao was above average. I'll probably try other Thai options in the area before I head back.
(3)Missy M.
I like to call Batavia the Thai capitol. We are small, but we have 3 pretty good Thai restaurants. However, TUSK wins hands down for being the best. It's probably my favorite all-time restaurant. I always get the Thom Kar soup with whatever I feel like for the protein of the day and then I pick something else. I LOVE the Pad Thai and the curry dishes. YUM! YUM! It's bring your own beer, so plan accordingly. They'll open your wine for you, though, for free...The service is not fancy, but it is good service. You can feel comfortable in the restaurant dressed casually or dressy. 5 stars for sure.
(5)Craig R.
My wife and I went here recently and we were very pleased with everything about this establishment. The service is great - friendly, helpful and right on time with everything. The food is wonderful. Their Thom Yum soup is out of this world! I had the beef basil dish and my wife had the Chicken Pad Thai (she has a "thing" for pad thai ...). The food was very good - amazingly fresh and full of flavor. We also shared some mango sticky rice which is a serious passion for both of us. this was very well done. The restaurant is similar to many other thai places and isnt much to look at but the food is really why you go here. My wife and I will be back and likely several times a month. If you are near the area make plans to eat here .... you will not be disappointed!
(5)Michael K.
Tusk is a great Thai place located along the river in downtown Batavia. Their food is great and service is friendly.
(4)Jennifer G.
Great little thai place. BYOB which is great to plan accordingly. I ordered spring rolls as an app - which were good. My husband had the chicken lettuce wraps, although they were tasty, there were not what i was expecting - they were more like chicken deep fried meatballs in a lettuce taco - usually it's ground chicken with the lettuce - just a heads up. my husband had sesame chicken - which was sweet, crunchy and tasty. sometimes deep fried food with a sauce can be mushy, this was not. i ordered the tofu pad thai - extra spicy - thai spicy - not white girl hot - as I told the waitress. it was perfect!!! i usually always have to add extra spice (I like it hot hot hot) and i didn't need to...the tofu, was perfect. check it out, good stuff!
(5)Jojo F.
From the outside, Tusk Thai looks a bit dinky. The hand drawn sign was kind of simple and the restaurant can easily be overlooked for a local bar. But don't be fooled. Tusk Thai has amazing food and a wonderful staff that accommodated our party of seven. My in-laws, niece, husband and I enjoyed a feast of food that included a huge appetizer plate, salads and coconut ice cream for dessert. I opted for the Vegetarian Pad Thai and it was awesome. The location near the Batavia River walk is quite perfect for walking off the post-dinner woes. Highly recommended!
(5)H R.
Compared to Thai Bistro and Bangkok Restaurant in Geneva, this is the best place for Thai food in the area. The chicken pad thai is what you expect it to be - yummy. Thai Bistro has their take on it, but I'm not a fan. Tusk Thai has the pad thai as I want it to be. We tried the Tom Yum soup and their Tom Kar soup. They are kind of opposites of each other with the Tom Yum being more savory and the Tom Kar as more tangy-sweet as it has coconut milk in it. I'd order eithe one again. The mango sticky rice is fabulous too.
(5)Donald C.
Small, family owned, fresh, flavorful Thai food. There are several Thai restaurants in the Tri city area and this is one of only two that I recommend. It is BYO, which is fun if you can remember to bring your own. The food and service are excellent and parking is easy. Everything from mild Pad Thai to very spicy dishes are available, so these guys cater to a variety of tastes. Absolutely try this place if you are looking for Thai.
(5)Terrence B.
BYOB in the burbs! No corkage fee! Love it!!! I've been here twice. First note is the laughably steep entrance "ramp" into the building which I am sure is pretty much a no-go for anyone in a wheelchair. Also with the doorway situation (and lack of a vestibule breezeway door) I was fully expecting a drafty dining experience, but even sitting a few feet from the door on a freezing evening, that concern was totally unfounded. The decor of the place is quite hip and clean and I was digging it. I was half expecting it to be run by some super trendy staff, but it was what you would expect from a family run asian restaurant. I wan't to be super clear and say the restaurant staff is awesome with table service manners that far exceeded my expectations (not exactly a 3 star michelin spot that will fold your napkin for you if you make a trip to the bathroom, but not too far below that). The food blew me away, I have no idea if these are mainly traditional dishes that I just haven't been exposed to or if this is boarder-line fusion, but it was quite the experience. This is probably best experienced with a small group with family style dining. And I highly recommend going nuts on the appetizers. This place is a rare gem that is worth travelling to. Plus when you add in the BYOB factor, this place is a huge bang for your buck. Also, the menu is quite vegetarian friendly!
(5)Anna N.
Mehhh, alright. The prices are a bit higher than I would like. The food was a bit better at Thai Village. Overall I was not wowed but not a bad option if you're in the Thai mood.
(3)Emily M.
This is the best Thai food we've had in two different cities (Chicago & Denver)...bar none. We've loved everything we've tried- egg rolls, dumplings, tom kar soup, panang curry, and pad Thai. Yummy and HIGHLY recommended! Oh, and it's BYOB.
(4)Julie B.
Great thai food...had the peanut noodles...very good!
(5)Shannon M.
I'm so glad to say that our second visit to Tusk was just as great as the first. The efficient, welcoming staff is such an asset, and the food is excellent. This time it was just my boyfriend and me; he had the panang curry noodles (thick fried noodles in a red curry sauce with beef and an array of veggies; he said he wished he had some bread to sop up every drop of the sauce! I don't normally even like curry but I had a bite and really liked it) and the Samsahai for me (a seafood stew that his mom got the first time and had looked appealing then). We also ordered the chive dumplings for an appetizer, crispy pan-seared wonton pockets filled with chives and served with a delicious sweet chile-soy sauce (even after the dumplings were gone, it was tempting to eat the sauce by the spoonful). Again, the restaurant is small, so get there early if you want to be assured a table without a wait. It's a cozy spot with a great atmosphere and food; I want to trumpet the talents of Tusk far and wide! If you're in the mood for Thai, this is the place in the Western 'burbs.
(5)Viki B.
Fantastic Thai food! Everything was fresh and light. The only slight complaint I had was that the appetizer portions were a bit smaller than I expected. We had take-out, we look forward to dining in soon!
(4)Ken M.
The food always tastes fresh... The basil beef is killer! Love this place :)
(4)Melissa V.
Very good Thai food. The restaurant itself has a nice ambiance, as well. This is a great spot to bring pretty much anyone and impress- whether that be a date, family, friends or out of town guests. The food is very authentic and tasty and they will bring you thai chili sauce to add to your dish if you wish to make it more spicy wish is a must for true Thai food lovers. This restaurant is also byob which is a huge plus for me- nice to be able to enjoy some delicious food with a good bottle of wine without spending more on wine than your meal :) It gets four stars, because it just can't beat Bangkok in Geneva my absolute favorite.
(4)Marie K.
Great food, and the BYOB is kind of fun and keeps your bill small! I've been addicted to drunken noodles (pad kee Mao) ever since!
(5)Howard L.
This place was a restaurant.com checkout for us. We had a decent enjoyable Thai meal - lettuce wraps, fried catfish, green curry beef, and a chocolate cake dessert. Based on previous reviews (which set the bar low for us), we asked for little salt, and it was fine. Restaurant was both cozy and busy on a Wednesday nite, but the one server lady kept up. Location is nice and very convenient to street or garage parking in downtown Batavia. It's also a BYOB place (if we had only known!), which was a popular option among several diners. All in all, I'd say give it a try if you're in the area and craving Thai.
(3)Mark B.
Lunch special for about $8. Nice and spicey! Fresh! Great taste. Will definitely go back.
(4)Perla S.
We went here a couple of months back with some friends. Our server was super nice, the portions were generous, but for some reason, my dish left something to be desired. The dish itself was decent and, but nothing out of this world, not incredibly flavorful, and not at all spicy like I asked for. The place itself is nicely decorated and family run, but it is rather cramped, especially on a Friday night at full capacity. Either way, I enjoyed myself there, and will try it again. I was hoping this would be like Sim Sim Cafe (Naperville) in its hay day, but I need to give this place a chance, because I needs thai food in my life.
(3)Vishwa N.
The service was good and the waiters very personable but the food was merely ok.
(2)Maggie M.
Was at Tusk a few months back. Food was great. Service, just ok. Seemed to be bothered by having to work at lunchtime. Will get carryout.
(3)Meredith B.
My fiance and I went here a few weeks ago and loved it! First star is for BYOB. Also, there was no corking fee. And they brought nice glassware to the table for us to use. The food was excellent. I spent 2 months backpacking through Thailand, so I have very high expectations for my Thai food and Tusk Thai definitely met them. The location is a little small and when we arrived, it was the end of the dinner crowd and a bit noisy. But by 8, all the kids had cleared out and the place was nice and quiet, which is exactly what we were looking for. We will definitely be going back here again.
(5)Jen K.
I love Thai Food and got excited when I found about this small restaurant that opened in my neighborhood. I had high hopes, because the menu looked great. When we got there, we were the only people in the dining room, and stood waiting to be seated for awhile. The menu was also incorrect as I wanted the egg rolls, but the waitress got very snippy about it and brought out rice paper spring rolls instead. Our entrees were decent, but not enough to make us want to come back. Maybe take out? Ehh...
(2)Natalie B.
This was my first time at tusk best thai food I had, hot and very fresh. Prices were great
(5)Chelsea L.
I've had the pleasure and misfortune of dining in numerous Thai restaurants around the 'burbs and Tusk comes out near the top of the heap. The quality of the food we had was pretty decent. The vegetables were very fresh and overall pretty tasty, though the sauces were a little on the sweet side. Portions were just right - not so much food that you take half of it home with you, but enough that you leave feeling sated. Good variety in the menu. The service, on the other hand, was really, really slow. It was quite literally the first time in my life I've waited more than 10 minutes for Thai food. Our server was basically non-existent, and it took FOREVER to get our dinner - it was almost to the point where we were going to have to take our meals to go. I want to cut them a little slack because the dining room was basically full, but it's maybe a dozen tables for two servers. Should be manageable. Overall, we had a pleasant experience, the dining room was quaint, and the atmosphere was nicer than a fast food place, but not so formal that we felt uncomfortable in our clean jeans and nice shirts.
(4)Y C.
We stumbled into Tusk Thai to seek shelter from giant lightning bolts and left with sunshine in our bellies. The service was friendly and the food was yummy. My friends and I enjoyed the appetizer platters. The presentation was lovely. Their noodles were particularly excellent - pad thai and pad see ew in particular.
(4)Scott S.
I love this place! The food is always fresh and delicious. The service is always friendly. Tusk is one of the few places to go to when you ask to make a dish spicy, they ask you on a scale of 1 to 10, how spicy do you want it. NIce, I enjoy the Five Star and the soups have never disappointed.
(4)Richard C.
I really enjoy the food here. My Thai friends say it is pretty authentic too. I probably eat here once every 2 weeks. Definitely worth a visit.
(5)Andy H.
First Thai food review I think, and very deserving of 4 stars. It is a hidden gem and I hope they can sustain, because both times I have eaten in I have been one of 3 people in the restaurant. Only been in for lunch, but ordered out for about 8 people one night and had a great experience. Yellow curry was good, pad thai was great, and the satay and peanut sauce was delish. There wasn't much leftover.
(4)Paul L.
Always great, Fresh ingredients, expertly prepared.
(5)Tina E.
Panang noodles to die for! There's 2 other Thai places within mins in Batavia- don't waste your time. This is where it's at
(5)Chitown D.
We purchased an appetizer, four entrees, and a dessert. The appetizer and entrees were delicious. The service was pretty good. The atmosphere was a solid C+ and it seemed a bit overpriced. I would not recommend getting the mango and sticky rice dessert, as they charge about $7 for it, which seemed crazy for a quarter of a mango and some sticky rice. I would eat here again.
(4)Dick W.
I have ordered takeout from tusk several times. It never dissapoints and is very flavorful. It wont blow your mind but it is a good place for curry.
(3)Russ W.
Good stuff. We loved the Banana Blossom Salad.
(5)Liz L.
YUCK-EEEEE I wish I could give this place no stars...it is gross..my basil stir fry noodles that are not supposed to be soupy and oily were totally drippy and runny and the tofu in my dish was sour and the noodles were overcooked. Think of the worst Thai food place in the city and this is 100% times worse. I also had the Spring Rolls they were warm (these should be served cold) and not refreshing at all. The website and the pictures are very deceiving, when you go on the website it looks all modern and cool and then you go to the restaurant and it is a dump, and the pictures on the website is the side that is clean and everything matches. I have no idea how this place stays in business... Do not go here. I'll stick with my Thai food in the city thank you very much.
(1)Rory M.
Delicious Thai, vegetarian and meat, plus the best Thai iced coffee in the entire world. I've never done it, but they do allow you to bring in wine.
(5)Nick K.
Solid 4 star experience. We've been there a number of times, the place is quite small, but has a nice charisma and it is a BYOB. Recently we've converted to the carry-outs, which were good... however if you decide to dine-in, definitely try the Volcano Soup - it is a delight.
(4)Johnny G.
The Background: * My family of 2 kids, my wife, and I dined here on a Saturday evening. * 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts 44 bucks before tip. * Tusk was recommended by a friend - after reading several reviews we decided to give it a shot. * we are experienced Thai diners. I myself have traveled and dined in Thailand on more than one occasion. The Good: * where do I start - we were so happy to find this place and only had one dish that was just mediocre (see below). * Toong tong was very nicely presented, served hot, and full of wonderful flavors. This crispy pocket of surf and turf was a great start to our dinner. * Pad Thai was just right. there were plenty of nuances here to announce that this dish was prepared by an expert! This was a safe dish for us to order and gauge the menu with and the Shrimp pad thai did not dissapoint! The noodles were nice and chewy as they should be with hints of basil, peanut, and a nice balance of curry. The dish came to the table with such great flavor that I forgot to squeeze the lime over. * While I was finishing my chicken panang my wife asked if it would be easier for me to lick the plate. This dish was amazing! Coconut, Curry, and Kafir in such harmony - I thought I heard the faint humming sounds of "Kumbaya" coming from the plate! The large rice noodles were crunchy from the flash frying and added a nice textural contrast that was unexpected and exciting. I would walk the 10 miles from my house just for this dish. * Thai Pudding and Mango with sweet sticky rice desserts were good. my Kids quickly devoured both of these dishes which were not Americanly sweetened to death. the portions were small but they were both priced accordingly. * Presentation of each dish was carefully thought out. These dishes were not thrown onto your traditional plastic oval plates - both entrees were served on nice square shaped plates that look like they could have come from the Martha Stewart section at K-mart. * did I mention Crispy noodles in the chicken panang dish! Awww Snap! I think I may have had one of the best dishes in the state of Illinois here. The Bad: * On a cold night when the temp outside is in the teens the small room will get frigidly cold every single time the door is open. This place had a few to-go orders and a young kid was kind enough to hold the door open for several seconds while his parents attentively ignored him. Brrrrr.... this problem can be easily alleviated by the owners of the place - you know what to do! * Service - While not truly bad I'd observed that of the waitresses one of them was significantly more accomadating and friendly than the other. It was an odd contrast in the styles of each waitperson. * Chicken Satay - while not really that bad I don't think we'll ever order them again. The chicken satay consisted of 4 pieces of white chicken meat with little flavor and seared on a stick. The accompanying peanut sauce saved the dish after I coated the chicken with it. What you need to know: * As we left the restaurant my wife mumbled in discontent, "four years.... It took us four years". What she meant was that in the four years that we've lived in Illinois we have not had a great Thai experience (and by that I mean a dining experience! get your mind out of the gutter.) It took us four years to have really good Thai food - four years. * Tusk is a tiny unassuming little joint on a street corner in downtown Batavia. The portions were slightly smaller than I had expected but my two kids, wife, and myself left feeling satiated and longing for our next visit. Each dish seemed to be just slightly larger than enough for one person - order accordingly. The pricing is just right and you should expect some pretty authentic, well prepared, and varied food on the menu. If you are not familiar with Thai be prepared for spicy and complex food with unusual flavor combinations. I highly recommend Tusk based on our first experience but make sure you ask for a table away from the door if you are visiting on a cold day. I live in Warrenville and have dined throughout the burbs looking for great Thai food - Tusk is now a destination for us and we will visit again and again.
(4)Kerry G.
Delicious food and lovely service. It could have earned five stars if the spice/heat were kicked up a notch, but otherwise the food was great. The tom yum soup was especially tasty. Super cozy atmosphere.
(4)Sara H.
Although good and affordable Thai places are a dime a dozen in the city, the same is not true in the far Western suburbs. What makes Tusk a rarity out here is that it provides tasty Thai food at a reasonable price. There are other Thai places out here with good food, but at a premium (I'm looking at you Bistro Thai). Tusk offers good food and a great value.
(4)C L.
Tusk is a small family owned restaurant that has the best panang curry in the area. Their Thai Fire Dish is also note worthy, especially if you like your food spicy (as the name implies). I eat here all the time and I havent been dissapointed with anything on the menu. As an added bonus its BYOB, so bring a bottle of wine to go with your meal.
(5)Jeremy F.
Have recently branched out into Basil Noodles and Drunken Noodles - so far every dish is just as great. Can't wait to keep trying.
(5)Michelle F.
I am shocked at the negative reviews. We eat here a couple times a month and the food is always delicious! Better yet, it is fresh! I can't emphasize how much I prefer fresh vegetables to ones that have been sitting all day or are over cooked. The food is great and as much as I want to keep ordering my favorite dish Spicy Basil with chicken, I try to get something different each time. I am glad they became a part of our town's dining experience. Also a great place for byob! Cheers!
(5)Angie B.
The dining room is small but the food and service are excellent. My husband likes spicy food so they had many offerings that were perfect for him. We really enjoyed it!
(5)Mike L.
I had lunch here, my first visit. A big selection for lunch which included a small appetizer ( today it was spring roll). Everything was fresh and tasty. Like many Thai restaurants, they don't necessarily believe an Anglo-American when he says he likes it spicy, but they cheerfully supplied chili paste to heat the dish up. The dining room is smaller on the inside than it looks from outside, so reservations on weekend evenings are recommended. I didn't try desert, but they had at least ten choices. The service was great, the dining room is not fancy, perhaps a little cluttered and they obviously aren't hung up on absolute neatness. But I enjoyed my lunch and I will be back.
(4)Anna R.
I love Penny's Noodle shop in downtown Chicago. Since moving to the 'burbs my entire goal in Thai dining has been to find something similar. Tusk is just as tasty. The veg in the dishes is very fresh. Sometimes the food that is listed as spicy can be bland, so make sure that you tell the person who takes your order if you want it spicy.
(4)Emma M.
Friendly staff-- delicious food. BYOB.
(4)Christopher M.
Food was homey. Felt very authentic.
(4)B N.
Finally got to try this place after hearing lots of good things about it from locals. Omg! I am not easy to please and I was so impressed with the food. Finally Batavia has a restaurant that is really really yummy! Summer rolls (yes summer not spring) were awesome as was the volcano soup, the basil chicken and the panang curry!! Waitress was very sweet and very helpful. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Alison S.
I love this restaurant! I discovered it over a year ago and have been a regular ever since. I have tried many menu items in that time and have never been disappointed. If you like garlic the calamari appetizer is delicious. For your main course the panang curry is awesome (as long as you like spicy food). If you don't like spicy food they have a number of other dishes to try, they will even make things special to your liking. The service is always friendly and fast with out rushing you, and they are very good at helping you choose the right dish.
(5)Erik S.
This place is awesome!! Best Thai in Tri-Cities. We had been going to Thai Village for a long time, and I have been to some of the Thai restaurants in Geneva and St. Charles but I decided to try a new place since we always went there. I am so glad we did. The atmosphere is ok, but let's be honest most of the time you are going for the food and service than the ambiance. My wife and I started out with the Summer Sampler which was excellent. We loved the mint in the Summer rolls and the fresh taste. The tusk wraps were different than what you would expect but were tasty. The reason why it was different was that it wasn't served hot, but room temperature. It had a great flavor and I liked the contrast in texture. The money bags were a delicious fried treat. The next time we return I would love to try the calamari or mussels. I had the green curry noodle with pork and my wife had the panang noodles. Both were excellent. I had jasmine tea and my wife had a Thai iced tea. The food was awesome. What can I say. Now what makes this stand out is the service. We were greeted with a smile, asked if we had ever been which we hadn't. Our waitress told us the concept and how her mother was the one cooking which I loved. If you ever want good food, go to someone's mom. I had a problem deciding what I wanted, and I told her my cravings and she recommended an excellent dish. I never had to ask to refill my water, which is huge for me as I drink a lot. The only thing that I wish I had known before is that it is BYOB. I would have brought a bottle of wine to cap off the wonderful evening. We will definitely be coming here from now on. 5 stars
(5)Carley K.
I went to Tusk Thai with a group of about a dozen for lunch. We called ahead, so they had a table waiting for us. The food was very tasty, I liked the egg role appetizer and the green curry noodles with tofu. It was a good sized portion, not too oily, and flavorful. Thai restaurants aren't as common here as in the SF Bay Area, but this one holds its own, I plan to return. I was happy to hear that they make curry without fish sauce or shrimp paste, music to my ears. Someone else at my table also told me that they have gluten-free soy sauce, which makes this her favorite, and perhaps only, thai option in town.
(4)Michael L.
My family eats a lot of Thai food - including in the big city of Chicago. We visited Tusk Thai for the very first time on Friday 1/22/2010. It's BYOB so that's great. Was impressed with two things - 1) appetizer selection and quality and 2) friendly service. Pricing was on-par with other Thai restaurants in the area. The $10.95 appetizer sampler has a very nice presentation - not a ton of food - but good size for a party of four. Our waitress explained how the sauces were used for each of the 4 or 5 tasting portions. Everything seemed very fresh and our waitress gave us some ordering tips and described everything well. Pad Seyew was very good as well - fresh ingredients. Chicken Satay was very good. The Pad Thai (we got tofu for our veggie daughter) was adequate, but wasn't a big standout. My red curry was a bit thinner than other Thai restaurants, they use eggplant a lot in their recipes too. So far, a dead heat with Bangkok Thai in Geneva - both very good, BYOB and inexpensive!
(4)Amy O.
This is the best thai food ever! Tom Kar soup, Volcano Soup, Panang curry, Gaeng Khua Koong (vermicelli noodles with red curry, coconut milk, shrimp,etc) - absolutely delicious. We just tried the Basil Duck last night - Yum! We love spicy food and often have a hard time finding restaurants that give us heat and taste. Tusk Thai does this perfectly. (We ask for a little extra heat). Desserts are unusal, but tasty - definately worth trying. Their food is fresh, creative, well presented, well priced, good sized portions, friendly service, and they will even deliver quickly around the area. We order from here often when we have guests visiting, and everyone has been equally impressed. Bring your own wine/beer and you'll be happy with your bill.
(5)steve h.
Very good food, polite service, very fair prices but dining room is a bit cramped. I've enjoyed everything ordered in four different visits. I've eaten in several Thai restaurants across the city and suburbs, and find Tusk to be second only to 1 amazing place in Chicago. That's a long ways to go for dinner, so I'll eat at Tusk!
(5)J H.
Just had lunch here - it was great! Server was attentive but not annoying, Started with an appetizer that came with lunch special - spring rolls. Very good. I had the Panang Curry. It was just the right amount of food. Sauce was good- veggies were crisp and fresh and tofu was good. I was very pleased and could easily become addicted!! Husband had Basil Beef. He said it was spicy and quite good. Daughter had the Sesame Chicken which she ate up and announced "We HAVE to come here again". For dessert, husband and I had the sticky rice with mango. This was excellent and just sweet enough to end our meal. Daughter had the fried ice cream - it looked quite good and she really enjoyed it. We have found another restaurant to place on our " must visit again" list!
(5)Tori M.
The ONLY reason this place didn't get 5 stars is because Boraan's (a Thai place in Naperville that shut down) was still better so I couldn't in all honesty call Tusk "ask good as it gets." But its pretty darn close. I called to place a to-go order on a Wednesday evening and the man on the phone had just the sweetest voice without a hint of impatience. It was the kind of voice that makes you think you're talking to your grandfather. So being my first impression, I was already pleased. He did neglect to give me my total over the phone but, no big deal. When we went to pick up our food at the downtown Batavia location, the whole area was bustling with people. The inside was crowded and their was a group of girlfriends gathering outside preparing to go in. My food was ready in the 15 minute timeframe promised by the man on the phone. We got the chicken satay as an appetizer which included 4 skewers of chicken with lite yellow curry and a scrumptious peanut dipping sauce. I could have drank that stuff! However, the chicken was kind of dry and nothing special. I probably would not order again. As for entrees we both got the pad thai (request for spicy!) mine with tofu and Brock's with shrimp. Both were cooked perfectly. The flavors were perfect and it was just the right amount of spiciness. The lime it comes with really sets it off! In the future I will ask for extra lime slices. The price was typical as far as Thai restaurants. Our total was $30.00. Next time I want to eat-in and take advantage of the BYOB!
(4)Karen C.
Excellent basil fried rice! Cute little area and it's BYOB!! I highly recommend some wine from Prairie State Winery - SNAP is perfect!!!
(5)Vivian P.
Yes, everything yes about this place when even a simple yes can convey the happiness and food baby coma that happens after a great meal. We braved the snowy tundra one Sunday in January (2 days ago), ordering appetizers, entrees and dessert. Crab rangoons, money bags, and potstickers. I asked for actually money in my money bags, instead I got a nice combination of shrimp and meat inside of wonton wrappers. Crab rangoons and potstickers oh my gosh yum. Panagn noodles tasted so good for such a beautiful snowy night! Noodles cooked well and crispy, curry with coconut milk was smoothly sweet, and tofu cooked perfectly. Finally, Thai Pumpkin Custard, how is custard this good? Thank you Tusk for a great meal, for your company (great service and lots of laughter), and refuge on a snowy night.
(4)Alyssa J P.
Pretty darn decent Thai food, plenty of vegan options, expansive menu (even for lunch) and great prices. Good to know I have a good dining option in Batavia!
(4)Vivian Y.
My favorite Thai in the area. I've travelled to Thailand 3 time and have explored the cuisine (street food and restaurants) extensively and feel that this restaurant provides and excellent representation. Loses one star for consistently because I've had super spicy green curries (love!) while other times it's jus medium hot. We normally order take out.
(4)Laura R.
Food is amazing!! Love the three sisters/owners. So very nice and accommodating. Summer rolls, Nam Sod salad, curries, Fire, etc... Everything is my favorite!! I really like the BYOB, as you can bring your favorite beers in! Love, love, love this place!!
(5)Steve H.
Excellent authentic thai food at a reasonable price. Spicy food lovers can order it as hot as they want. BYOB is a huge plus. Fun and friendly service is a nice touch. We will be back.
(4)Kimberly H.
Our family eats here once or twice per month (maybe more).Take-out or dine-in. The employees are gracious and helpful. I love their Penang Chicken, or the Basil chicken. Since having visited Thailand a few times, I'm quite picky when it comes to Thai food. The owners are Thai and their dishes are authentic. The atmosphere is casual, and it's BYOB.
(5)A L.
I tried Tusk for the first time last week and went during their weekday lunch special hour. It did not disappoint! I ordered the Panang rice dish with chicken and my father ordered the Pad See Ew with beef. We also tried the Thai fried rice and it was spectacular. The service was great and the lunch special had more than enough food for $8, can't beat a deal like that and delicious! We returned again today and again were pleased with our meal and this time I tried their Tom Yum soup with chicken and the Drunken noodle lunch special. Both were excellent and wait time was minimal. We will definitely be returning soon!
(5)Daniel A.
Had the Siam appetizer tray tonight. It was very good. Also, had the dumpling wonton soup. Excellent! My entree was the beef pad Thai. What a great dish!! Can't wait to try the other entrees.
(4)Dave S.
Quite possibly one the best Thai restaurants in suburbs. Could be a little cleaner and there are only a few tables and service could be slow because it is run by a family that also works there. But that is all worth it when you actually taste there food.
(4)Katherine V.
So I am sadly disappointed by this place based on the reviews I read prior to coming here. The food was mediocre and the service was just ok. I guess you have to be a "regular" to get more attention. The ambiance looked decent and that's really about it. This again proves my point that the best Thai food can sometimes be found at a hole in a wall. Next stop... Thai Village also here in Batavia!
(2)J B.
We recently went to Tusk Thai after hearing many positive comments from friends. The good: The food was excellent, and Tusk Thai is BYOB. The not-so-good: The service was pretty atrocious. We were seated quickly, given water and a corkscrew immediately by the bus boy, but that was it. Despite the relatively small size of the place, and the fact that we were in the middle (rather than a table in a corner) no one seemed to notice or care that we hadn't been given menus. Employees literally walked past us or tended to other tables numerous times without noticing. After 10 minutes, I walked to the server station and asked for menus. The hostess apologized profusely, gave us menus and walked away. I was hoping that this might have improved the amount of attention they bestowed on us. I was wrong. We then waited another 15 minutes for someone to come by and take our order. In short, it took a grand total of 25 minutes for someone to take our order. They don't get a pass in my book simply because it was a Saturday night... they're an established business and should be able to deal more efficiently with the ebbs and flow of service. Plus, it's a small restaurant, and someone should have noticed we weren't being serviced. I respect small family run businesses, so I'm going to give them another chance, but at least on this evening, the service wasn't acceptable.
(2)Kyle D.
Tusk Thai is my new favorite Thai restaurant and hands down the best I've had in the West Suburbs. I have somewhat of a refined taste when it comes to Thai food because I studied Thai language in college and fell in love with the culture. Tusk has great Spicy Basil rice and Red Curry (the two dishes I've ordered so far) and great customer service. If you ask for something extra spicy it will be spicy, which is a rarity with other restaurants. It is also affordable relative to other Thai restaurants. If you are deciding between Thai Village and Tusk Thai while you're in the Batavia area, trust me, go with Tusk. The quality is much better and prices aren't quite as steep which makes the choice simple for me. Overall Tusk is awesome and I highly recommend it to Thai lovers and anyone looking for a excellent dining experience.
(5)Jjrun 8.
I had the Chicken Pad Thai, Spring rolls, and a Thai Tea. I came during lunch hour which surprising it was not full. The service was quick and the food tasted delicious. My Thai Tea however was way too sweet for my comfort. I did had to water it down. I do plan on coming again to try their other dishes. I gave this place a 4 star because it did not have a wide select of plates for a Thai Restaurant. Overall, it is worth returning.
(4)Hannah G.
The owner said the food was delicious because it was fresh and home made. She wasn't kidding. Food was beyond great. Quick fast service. Friendly. I can't wait to go back!!
(5)S S.
As continued my diabolical flavor conquest, my journey led me to this little place hidden within downtown Batavia. I walk through the front door to an awkward greeting. Yes? I'm asked. I tell her it's just me for a table of one. Then no response, shall I just sit? Run? I gesture to the table and have a seat. I'm brought a menu that was smaller than expected but lunch specials are in order. I eventually decide on the panang curry. When order I was met with a blank stare. An awkward pause then I toe a second look at the menu as I felt I had missed something. Ah yes, with chicken. Nothing but a quiet hmph or sorts and away she went. I spiked my tasty Thai iced coffee, a must at any Thai restaurant if you ask me. My food arrices, tho smaller than expected, and not as flattering to the eyes as I hoped. I took my first bite was quite pleasntly surprised. Tender chicken with a good balance of curry and spices. The rice sticky and delicious. The portion just right for a lunch special. Overall I had mixed feelings about my adventure. The service was a bit questionable on this day. Made for a strange dining experience. But the food was tasty and we'll priced.
(3)Meredith K.
I was lucky enough to dine with a Batavian otherwise I would have never known about this little gem. And by little I mean make a reservation b/c its small and popular. I came here with a big group and we had a wonderful meal. Its a BYOB so we stopped by the local liquor store that's nearby. They are good about keeping your water filled but they didn't offer to put my bubbly on ice. That's ok b/c it didn't last long enough to get warm. We stared with an appetizer sampler. The one that comes with a spring roll, money bag, coconut shrimp, dumpling and lettuce cup. Everything was one bite which was perfect! Very tasty. I liked everything. I had the shrimp casserole which took longer than everyone else at the table. I'm not going to remove a star for that but it was annoying as there were 7 of us and only 1 didn't get their food right away. When it came out I wasn't expecting it to be in a clay pot with a lid. The flavors were great but it was a little difficult to eat. I didn't want to get any of it on my shirt. Its like a soup but full of noodles and shrimp with the tails still on. That is awkward when they don't give you a knife. I think next time I'll stick with a basic noodle dish. We tried two of the desserts. The fried ice cream and chocolate cake. The cake was the winner. The ice cream was not like the Mexican kind but more like a fried wonton over a little scoop of vanilla. It tasted like a donut which is not a bad thing. This is where I would go if I found myself back in Batavia at dinnertime.
(5)Nathan T.
On a not particularly busy Saturday night, my wife and I arrived and were to told leave our number since no tables available and they would call us when a table opened in 15-20 minutes. We asked if anyone be else was waiting and they said no, we were first. After 15 minutes we came back to find that at least five other parties had arrivied and were crowded into the small area by the register and around the bathroom. Two parties were seated as we waited to speak to the staff. When we were finally able to muscle through we were told we would have to wait until the others , who had arrived after us, were seated. Food is fine, but I would not recommend them based on duplicitious treatment.
(1)Joe R.
Bar none, the best Thai food within 30 miles. We've tried every single place between Westmont and Aurora/Batavia. The prices are really affordable, too! I almost always get my food a little extra spicy, and they're always able to season it just right without nuking the flavor out of the dish! The fact that it's BYOB is a huge value add, in my book! The only place that is as good as Tusk Thai is Mai Thai in Westmont.
(5)Candida S.
I like fresh and I like food that tastes authentic, not generic. Best Tom Kah soup I have ever had: the key is to balance the several different spices and the fish/chili paste stock, also the coconut milk they use is not watery. Best comfort food served? Lard Nah in a generous serving size. The tasty Basil Beef has fresh basil in it. Appetizers? Don't miss the large Coconut Shrimp with tender pieces of shredded coconut: some places serve shrimp with coconut flavored batter BUT not here! This is real coconut. Don't like it too spicy? Let them know because it can get authentically THAI hot :) Hint: if it's too spicy ask for a glass of coconut water (comes with the pulp in it, Mmm) and that will quench the fire. Perfect white rice, just the right amount of moisture. I normally hate white rice but theirs I will eat :) Don't miss the Mango Sticky Rice dessert or the serving of Pumpkin Custard, a light dessert for when you are full :) It's a family owned restaurant where I think I have seen 3 different generations serving and during non-rush hours they will enjoy having a chat with you on restaurant ownership and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Yes, its a small place and the decor is pleasant but not "trendy". BYOB! I have probably eaten here at least 15x and have never been disappointed, I joined Yelp just to review this favorite place to eat.
(5)Sue A.
Second time here! Had the Siam platter for two as a appetizer , delicious !!! Had the dumpling soup, also delicious! Pad Thai beef very tasty and large portion . Also tried the teriyaki chicken , very good and flavorful with slivers of ginger! My husband and I love this place! Waitstaff very attentive . Small little place with big flavor ! Try it, you will love it!!!
(5)John G.
A family run restaurant with great food.. It's BYO. Chive dumplings and tusk wraps are a good way to start. The Thai fire dish is good if you like hot. I like the drunken noodles with chicken. Sesame chicken is another favorite. We never have room for dessert.
(4)Jessica K.
Honestly? I don't understand the positive reviews. The red curry was watery, flavorless(except for spicy) & full of bamboo shoots. Like 10 bamboo shoots to 1 of any other ingredient. The Tom Kha was thin, curdled & full of slimy mushrooms. The Pad Woon Sen was weak on flavor & had clumps of noodles, bitter cabbage, more slimy mushrooms & overcooked veggies. The Summer Rolls I didn't even try as the bean sprouts were way way past their prime(we're talking mushy, brown & slimy). Overall it was really disappointing. I really had high hopes from the positive reviews & a general desire for family run businesses to succeed, but I was let down. Maybe it's because we got take out. The dining room was cute & had nice ambience. Hopefully it was just an off night.
(2)Ram R.
Tusk...where do I begin? I grew up a few blocks from Tusk. It used to be Fantastico, I believe, way back in the day. I've gotten take-out from them a few times (summer rolls, curries, etc.) and the food has been good. However, the service has seemed to always lack. When I've called sometimes the phone wasn't answered. When I came in to pick up my orders it has taken some wait time. Fast forward to August 29, 2014 when I decided that my girlfriend and I should go there for Thai because she had a taste for it. By the way, I have a beautiful girlfriend (she's watching me as I type this). She was pumped! We called at 5:30pm to make reservations for 6:30pm, which they took. We got there at 6:30pm, and stood around like idiots for 5 minutes while staff walked past us repeatedly and we were not acknowledged. When we finally spoke up and said we had reservations for two for 6:30pm, my girlfriend got looked at like she was Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China in the beginning of the movie (right before the Lem Li funeral and the Three Storms) when he asked that Chinese woman on the balcony a question and she casually shut the doors on him. They went about their business giving slack-jawed answers that neither of us could understand. What I COULD understand was that "we have no tables ready" even though there were two tables clearly open (one four seater and one two seater). After that it was all silence. People came and went, and we still stood there like s**t-chucking apes. Finally after about 15 minutes I told Short Round (at least that's what he looked like...god I love Temple of Doom) that we were leaving. Nobody batted an eye. Seriously...if a restaurant's MO is to act THAT pompous you better have food that I'd choose over a blowjob. In this case, I can get better Thai from Vino Thai or Bangkok. Or even Thai Village in Batavia. Tusk is never even getting close to considered by me anymore. But if you feel like getting tusked up your brown eye, well, good luck to you.
(1)B C.
Best Thai food I've ever had! Place is nice but very small! Staff is very attentive making sure you have everything you need. For an appetizer I ordered chicken satay which are basically thin slices of chicken breast on a skewer. They bring them out with a variety of sauces to dip them in, absolutely delicious! As my main dish I had the Tusk fried rice with chicken. It is flavored and cooked to perfection! Pretty big portion too! To make things even better it's a BYOB place so you'll notice your bill is not looking crazy because when you dine out somewhere, mixed drinks or whatever it is you're drinking, usually makes your meal a little pricy. No need to worry about that here because you bring your own! They have great prices for their tasty food! I definitely recommend this place but you might want to call ahead to see what the waiting time will be to be seated, if any!
(5)Lillian W.
Love this place. Everything we've ever had to eat here has been outstanding. Food is reasonably priced and it is delicious. I made the mistake of going to another local Thai restaurant last night because Tusk was closed and what a disappointment that was. Almost all the negative reviews on Tusk are about service. I can live with that as long as the food is outstanding and it is.
(5)Gordon G.
Everything I have tried from here has been delicious. I usually get the green curry with pineapple added and the pineapple is the best pineapple I've ever had in a curry dish. My gf is in love with the pad Thai and could eat it on a daily basis! It's reasonably priced and a great option for takeout. It's also great as leftovers.
(5)Matt K.
This place is great! Delicious Thai food for a very affordable price. The fact that it is BYOB just adds to the value. The servers were very kind and attentive as well. Only complaint is it can feel quite crowded and small whilst waiting for your table. I would reccomend this restauraunt to anybody looking for a delicious dinner that won't break the bank.
(5)hightopper m.
I tried Tusk for the first time yesterday for dinner with a friend. We loved the summer and spring rolls. It's also a great option for vegetarians. It's on a neat little street and the vibe inside feels like a family operation (though I don't know for sure). Service was prompt & we liked the BYOB. Everything was fresh and well seasoned. I would definitely return.
(4)Jeff M.
Love this restaurant. We went to Thailand last year and loved the food. We tried to find authentic thai food all over the suburbs and our friends told us about Tusk. This place was spot on! Amazing food and the nicest people ever. The whole family is awesome. They have great appetizers, main dishes and desserts! Plus a bonus is that it's bring your own beer and wine...very romantic. Recommended!
(5)Steve G.
What a treat! After leaving another Thai restaurant where we were ignored by the staff when we entered, we drove a little further and checked out Tusk. Wow, talk about "worth the trip"... Cozy place, clean as a whistle. Great menu of food, and excellent service. We were the second table in on a Tuesday night, but by the time we left the place was full. And with only one waitress on duty, we still felt more welcome than we did at the first place we stopped. The chicken in the Green Fire dish was tender and tasty, the Red Curry was also VERY flavorful, although it could have been spicier. And the Chicken Satay could have used a bit more heat, too - but it was very good as well. TIP: It's BYOB here and every table brought wine with them, so don't leave home without a bottle!
(4)Matt W.
Take the delivery option off your page if you don't actually deliver. thx.
(1)Pat E.
Since I had already tried Vinothai and Thai Zie, I wanted to try another Thai place in the Tri City area, and Tusk Thai did not disappoint. I ordered Pad Thai Pork, but before that, I got Tom Yum Chicken. The Tom Yum wasn't anything to write home about, but it was decent. It was kind of like a .500 baseball team in a crappy division, that still has a chance to win but never really "wows" anyone, if you will. If you don't know about baseball or sports in general, I am sorry that I confused you. Actually, not really, shame on you! Haha! The Pad Thai Pork was excellent! Lots of flavor. I ordered it extra spicy, and the first three or four bites weren't that spicy, then I got into the nitty gritty....MERCY! I was sweating like a fat man in Tuscon, Arizona crossing the border illegally! I also added a little hot sauce prior to that, but it was nothing much...but mercy Thai ladies in back (I only saw ladies on the staff), you kicked my booty! Our waitress, well, how do I say this without sounding like a complete jerk...I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND A WORD SHE SAID. She took our order, we got our food rather quick, so that was nice. The nice hostess girl was my hero, constantly filling my water, because I was sweating like O.J. and Casey Anthony right before they were found guilty of murder...wait, what...? Nevermind. Tusk Thai is a nice place with good prices. I recommend to anyone who is in the area.
(4)Melissa V.
Very good Thai food. The restaurant itself has a nice ambiance, as well. This is a great spot to bring pretty much anyone and impress- whether that be a date, family, friends or out of town guests. The food is very authentic and tasty and they will bring you thai chili sauce to add to your dish if you wish to make it more spicy wish is a must for true Thai food lovers. This restaurant is also byob which is a huge plus for me- nice to be able to enjoy some delicious food with a good bottle of wine without spending more on wine than your meal :) It gets four stars, because it just can't beat Bangkok in Geneva my absolute favorite.
(4)Marie K.
Great food, and the BYOB is kind of fun and keeps your bill small! I've been addicted to drunken noodles (pad kee Mao) ever since!
(5)Kedar D.
Wow, Tusk has improved a lot since I first went there (shortly after it opened). For one thing, the menu explicitly states that it doesn't use fish sauce (though I later learned they might use oyster sauce, so make sure to ask questions if you are vegan or vegetarian) and it offers at least a few unusual dishes, as well as a coconut ice cream vegan dessert. This time around I got a few dishes for take-out: -chive dumpling (appetizer) ($4.95) -"Thai Fire Dish" with tofu ($10.95) -"Five Star" with tofu ($10.95) The chive dumpling is a dish you won't easily find at most other Thai restaurants in the Chicago area (or anywhere, for that matter). It's basically pan-friend rice dumplings filled with chives. While the dish sounded good in theory, in execution I found the dumplings bland, even with the sweetish soy dipping sauce they give on the side. I think they need to put more chives and maybe garlic and other minced vegetables in the dumplings in order to add more flavor. The Thai Fire Dish is labeled extremely spicy and they aren't kidding: this dish will have you in tears. That said, if you like extra-spicy dishes, this one is a goldmine. I loved the savory flavors and the mix of vegetables (bamboo shoots and bell peppers) which gave the dish a colorful look. The Five Star provided good contrast as it featured more sweetness; indeed, the sauce consisted of half savory and half sweet tones. Mixed with roasted chili, the sauce came out pretty well but could have been just a tad less sweet. That said, it's an unusual flavor that you won't find at other Thai restaurants easily. Both main dishes come in generous portions that will give you lots of leftovers. One gripe: Tusk doesn't offer brown rice. Lastly, they have a non-dairy coconut ice cream on the menu which I didn't get, but which is pretty awesome, nevertheless. Most Thai restaurants will only have sticky rice with bamboo as the vegan dessert of choice; Tusk, in offering a coconut ice cream, shows some creativity and boldness. I like that. All told, Tusk is a pretty solid restaurant and much better than the other Batavia Thai joints; there are only two Thai restaurants, in my humble opinion that beat Tusk in the Chicago area: Bangkok Restaurant in Geneva, and Urban Vegan in Chicago. All that said, I will be returning to Tusk.
(3)Joe E.
Good Thai food. As you can see in my previous reviews, it's tough to mess up Thai. However, TT had relatively slow service, even when we were one of three parties in the restaurant. Also, we kept having to ask to have our drinks refilled. Soup was okay, and my Kee Mao was above average. I'll probably try other Thai options in the area before I head back.
(3)Missy M.
I like to call Batavia the Thai capitol. We are small, but we have 3 pretty good Thai restaurants. However, TUSK wins hands down for being the best. It's probably my favorite all-time restaurant. I always get the Thom Kar soup with whatever I feel like for the protein of the day and then I pick something else. I LOVE the Pad Thai and the curry dishes. YUM! YUM! It's bring your own beer, so plan accordingly. They'll open your wine for you, though, for free...The service is not fancy, but it is good service. You can feel comfortable in the restaurant dressed casually or dressy. 5 stars for sure.
(5)Craig R.
My wife and I went here recently and we were very pleased with everything about this establishment. The service is great - friendly, helpful and right on time with everything. The food is wonderful. Their Thom Yum soup is out of this world! I had the beef basil dish and my wife had the Chicken Pad Thai (she has a "thing" for pad thai ...). The food was very good - amazingly fresh and full of flavor. We also shared some mango sticky rice which is a serious passion for both of us. this was very well done. The restaurant is similar to many other thai places and isnt much to look at but the food is really why you go here. My wife and I will be back and likely several times a month. If you are near the area make plans to eat here .... you will not be disappointed!
(5)Michael K.
Tusk is a great Thai place located along the river in downtown Batavia. Their food is great and service is friendly.
(4)Jennifer G.
Great little thai place. BYOB which is great to plan accordingly. I ordered spring rolls as an app - which were good. My husband had the chicken lettuce wraps, although they were tasty, there were not what i was expecting - they were more like chicken deep fried meatballs in a lettuce taco - usually it's ground chicken with the lettuce - just a heads up. my husband had sesame chicken - which was sweet, crunchy and tasty. sometimes deep fried food with a sauce can be mushy, this was not. i ordered the tofu pad thai - extra spicy - thai spicy - not white girl hot - as I told the waitress. it was perfect!!! i usually always have to add extra spice (I like it hot hot hot) and i didn't need to...the tofu, was perfect. check it out, good stuff!
(5)Jojo F.
From the outside, Tusk Thai looks a bit dinky. The hand drawn sign was kind of simple and the restaurant can easily be overlooked for a local bar. But don't be fooled. Tusk Thai has amazing food and a wonderful staff that accommodated our party of seven. My in-laws, niece, husband and I enjoyed a feast of food that included a huge appetizer plate, salads and coconut ice cream for dessert. I opted for the Vegetarian Pad Thai and it was awesome. The location near the Batavia River walk is quite perfect for walking off the post-dinner woes. Highly recommended!
(5)H R.
Compared to Thai Bistro and Bangkok Restaurant in Geneva, this is the best place for Thai food in the area. The chicken pad thai is what you expect it to be - yummy. Thai Bistro has their take on it, but I'm not a fan. Tusk Thai has the pad thai as I want it to be. We tried the Tom Yum soup and their Tom Kar soup. They are kind of opposites of each other with the Tom Yum being more savory and the Tom Kar as more tangy-sweet as it has coconut milk in it. I'd order eithe one again. The mango sticky rice is fabulous too.
(5)Donald C.
Small, family owned, fresh, flavorful Thai food. There are several Thai restaurants in the Tri city area and this is one of only two that I recommend. It is BYO, which is fun if you can remember to bring your own. The food and service are excellent and parking is easy. Everything from mild Pad Thai to very spicy dishes are available, so these guys cater to a variety of tastes. Absolutely try this place if you are looking for Thai.
(5)Terrence B.
BYOB in the burbs! No corkage fee! Love it!!! I've been here twice. First note is the laughably steep entrance "ramp" into the building which I am sure is pretty much a no-go for anyone in a wheelchair. Also with the doorway situation (and lack of a vestibule breezeway door) I was fully expecting a drafty dining experience, but even sitting a few feet from the door on a freezing evening, that concern was totally unfounded. The decor of the place is quite hip and clean and I was digging it. I was half expecting it to be run by some super trendy staff, but it was what you would expect from a family run asian restaurant. I wan't to be super clear and say the restaurant staff is awesome with table service manners that far exceeded my expectations (not exactly a 3 star michelin spot that will fold your napkin for you if you make a trip to the bathroom, but not too far below that). The food blew me away, I have no idea if these are mainly traditional dishes that I just haven't been exposed to or if this is boarder-line fusion, but it was quite the experience. This is probably best experienced with a small group with family style dining. And I highly recommend going nuts on the appetizers. This place is a rare gem that is worth travelling to. Plus when you add in the BYOB factor, this place is a huge bang for your buck. Also, the menu is quite vegetarian friendly!
(5)Anna N.
Mehhh, alright. The prices are a bit higher than I would like. The food was a bit better at Thai Village. Overall I was not wowed but not a bad option if you're in the Thai mood.
(3)Shannon M.
I'm so glad to say that our second visit to Tusk was just as great as the first. The efficient, welcoming staff is such an asset, and the food is excellent. This time it was just my boyfriend and me; he had the panang curry noodles (thick fried noodles in a red curry sauce with beef and an array of veggies; he said he wished he had some bread to sop up every drop of the sauce! I don't normally even like curry but I had a bite and really liked it) and the Samsahai for me (a seafood stew that his mom got the first time and had looked appealing then). We also ordered the chive dumplings for an appetizer, crispy pan-seared wonton pockets filled with chives and served with a delicious sweet chile-soy sauce (even after the dumplings were gone, it was tempting to eat the sauce by the spoonful). Again, the restaurant is small, so get there early if you want to be assured a table without a wait. It's a cozy spot with a great atmosphere and food; I want to trumpet the talents of Tusk far and wide! If you're in the mood for Thai, this is the place in the Western 'burbs.
(5)Viki B.
Fantastic Thai food! Everything was fresh and light. The only slight complaint I had was that the appetizer portions were a bit smaller than I expected. We had take-out, we look forward to dining in soon!
(4)Ken M.
The food always tastes fresh... The basil beef is killer! Love this place :)
(4)Howard L.
This place was a restaurant.com checkout for us. We had a decent enjoyable Thai meal - lettuce wraps, fried catfish, green curry beef, and a chocolate cake dessert. Based on previous reviews (which set the bar low for us), we asked for little salt, and it was fine. Restaurant was both cozy and busy on a Wednesday nite, but the one server lady kept up. Location is nice and very convenient to street or garage parking in downtown Batavia. It's also a BYOB place (if we had only known!), which was a popular option among several diners. All in all, I'd say give it a try if you're in the area and craving Thai.
(3)Mark B.
Lunch special for about $8. Nice and spicey! Fresh! Great taste. Will definitely go back.
(4)Emily M.
This is the best Thai food we've had in two different cities (Chicago & Denver)...bar none. We've loved everything we've tried- egg rolls, dumplings, tom kar soup, panang curry, and pad Thai. Yummy and HIGHLY recommended! Oh, and it's BYOB.
(4)Julie B.
Great thai food...had the peanut noodles...very good!
(5)Perla S.
We went here a couple of months back with some friends. Our server was super nice, the portions were generous, but for some reason, my dish left something to be desired. The dish itself was decent and, but nothing out of this world, not incredibly flavorful, and not at all spicy like I asked for. The place itself is nicely decorated and family run, but it is rather cramped, especially on a Friday night at full capacity. Either way, I enjoyed myself there, and will try it again. I was hoping this would be like Sim Sim Cafe (Naperville) in its hay day, but I need to give this place a chance, because I needs thai food in my life.
(3)Vishwa N.
The service was good and the waiters very personable but the food was merely ok.
(2)Maggie M.
Was at Tusk a few months back. Food was great. Service, just ok. Seemed to be bothered by having to work at lunchtime. Will get carryout.
(3)Meredith B.
My fiance and I went here a few weeks ago and loved it! First star is for BYOB. Also, there was no corking fee. And they brought nice glassware to the table for us to use. The food was excellent. I spent 2 months backpacking through Thailand, so I have very high expectations for my Thai food and Tusk Thai definitely met them. The location is a little small and when we arrived, it was the end of the dinner crowd and a bit noisy. But by 8, all the kids had cleared out and the place was nice and quiet, which is exactly what we were looking for. We will definitely be going back here again.
(5)Jen K.
I love Thai Food and got excited when I found about this small restaurant that opened in my neighborhood. I had high hopes, because the menu looked great. When we got there, we were the only people in the dining room, and stood waiting to be seated for awhile. The menu was also incorrect as I wanted the egg rolls, but the waitress got very snippy about it and brought out rice paper spring rolls instead. Our entrees were decent, but not enough to make us want to come back. Maybe take out? Ehh...
(2)Natalie B.
This was my first time at tusk best thai food I had, hot and very fresh. Prices were great
(5)Chelsea L.
I've had the pleasure and misfortune of dining in numerous Thai restaurants around the 'burbs and Tusk comes out near the top of the heap. The quality of the food we had was pretty decent. The vegetables were very fresh and overall pretty tasty, though the sauces were a little on the sweet side. Portions were just right - not so much food that you take half of it home with you, but enough that you leave feeling sated. Good variety in the menu. The service, on the other hand, was really, really slow. It was quite literally the first time in my life I've waited more than 10 minutes for Thai food. Our server was basically non-existent, and it took FOREVER to get our dinner - it was almost to the point where we were going to have to take our meals to go. I want to cut them a little slack because the dining room was basically full, but it's maybe a dozen tables for two servers. Should be manageable. Overall, we had a pleasant experience, the dining room was quaint, and the atmosphere was nicer than a fast food place, but not so formal that we felt uncomfortable in our clean jeans and nice shirts.
(4)Y C.
We stumbled into Tusk Thai to seek shelter from giant lightning bolts and left with sunshine in our bellies. The service was friendly and the food was yummy. My friends and I enjoyed the appetizer platters. The presentation was lovely. Their noodles were particularly excellent - pad thai and pad see ew in particular.
(4)Scott S.
I love this place! The food is always fresh and delicious. The service is always friendly. Tusk is one of the few places to go to when you ask to make a dish spicy, they ask you on a scale of 1 to 10, how spicy do you want it. NIce, I enjoy the Five Star and the soups have never disappointed.
(4)Richard C.
I really enjoy the food here. My Thai friends say it is pretty authentic too. I probably eat here once every 2 weeks. Definitely worth a visit.
(5)Andy H.
First Thai food review I think, and very deserving of 4 stars. It is a hidden gem and I hope they can sustain, because both times I have eaten in I have been one of 3 people in the restaurant. Only been in for lunch, but ordered out for about 8 people one night and had a great experience. Yellow curry was good, pad thai was great, and the satay and peanut sauce was delish. There wasn't much leftover.
(4)Paul L.
Always great, Fresh ingredients, expertly prepared.
(5)Tina E.
Panang noodles to die for! There's 2 other Thai places within mins in Batavia- don't waste your time. This is where it's at
(5)Liz L.
YUCK-EEEEE I wish I could give this place no stars...it is gross..my basil stir fry noodles that are not supposed to be soupy and oily were totally drippy and runny and the tofu in my dish was sour and the noodles were overcooked. Think of the worst Thai food place in the city and this is 100% times worse. I also had the Spring Rolls they were warm (these should be served cold) and not refreshing at all. The website and the pictures are very deceiving, when you go on the website it looks all modern and cool and then you go to the restaurant and it is a dump, and the pictures on the website is the side that is clean and everything matches. I have no idea how this place stays in business... Do not go here. I'll stick with my Thai food in the city thank you very much.
(1)Rory M.
Delicious Thai, vegetarian and meat, plus the best Thai iced coffee in the entire world. I've never done it, but they do allow you to bring in wine.
(5)Nick K.
Solid 4 star experience. We've been there a number of times, the place is quite small, but has a nice charisma and it is a BYOB. Recently we've converted to the carry-outs, which were good... however if you decide to dine-in, definitely try the Volcano Soup - it is a delight.
(4)Johnny G.
The Background: * My family of 2 kids, my wife, and I dined here on a Saturday evening. * 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts 44 bucks before tip. * Tusk was recommended by a friend - after reading several reviews we decided to give it a shot. * we are experienced Thai diners. I myself have traveled and dined in Thailand on more than one occasion. The Good: * where do I start - we were so happy to find this place and only had one dish that was just mediocre (see below). * Toong tong was very nicely presented, served hot, and full of wonderful flavors. This crispy pocket of surf and turf was a great start to our dinner. * Pad Thai was just right. there were plenty of nuances here to announce that this dish was prepared by an expert! This was a safe dish for us to order and gauge the menu with and the Shrimp pad thai did not dissapoint! The noodles were nice and chewy as they should be with hints of basil, peanut, and a nice balance of curry. The dish came to the table with such great flavor that I forgot to squeeze the lime over. * While I was finishing my chicken panang my wife asked if it would be easier for me to lick the plate. This dish was amazing! Coconut, Curry, and Kafir in such harmony - I thought I heard the faint humming sounds of "Kumbaya" coming from the plate! The large rice noodles were crunchy from the flash frying and added a nice textural contrast that was unexpected and exciting. I would walk the 10 miles from my house just for this dish. * Thai Pudding and Mango with sweet sticky rice desserts were good. my Kids quickly devoured both of these dishes which were not Americanly sweetened to death. the portions were small but they were both priced accordingly. * Presentation of each dish was carefully thought out. These dishes were not thrown onto your traditional plastic oval plates - both entrees were served on nice square shaped plates that look like they could have come from the Martha Stewart section at K-mart. * did I mention Crispy noodles in the chicken panang dish! Awww Snap! I think I may have had one of the best dishes in the state of Illinois here. The Bad: * On a cold night when the temp outside is in the teens the small room will get frigidly cold every single time the door is open. This place had a few to-go orders and a young kid was kind enough to hold the door open for several seconds while his parents attentively ignored him. Brrrrr.... this problem can be easily alleviated by the owners of the place - you know what to do! * Service - While not truly bad I'd observed that of the waitresses one of them was significantly more accomadating and friendly than the other. It was an odd contrast in the styles of each waitperson. * Chicken Satay - while not really that bad I don't think we'll ever order them again. The chicken satay consisted of 4 pieces of white chicken meat with little flavor and seared on a stick. The accompanying peanut sauce saved the dish after I coated the chicken with it. What you need to know: * As we left the restaurant my wife mumbled in discontent, "four years.... It took us four years". What she meant was that in the four years that we've lived in Illinois we have not had a great Thai experience (and by that I mean a dining experience! get your mind out of the gutter.) It took us four years to have really good Thai food - four years. * Tusk is a tiny unassuming little joint on a street corner in downtown Batavia. The portions were slightly smaller than I had expected but my two kids, wife, and myself left feeling satiated and longing for our next visit. Each dish seemed to be just slightly larger than enough for one person - order accordingly. The pricing is just right and you should expect some pretty authentic, well prepared, and varied food on the menu. If you are not familiar with Thai be prepared for spicy and complex food with unusual flavor combinations. I highly recommend Tusk based on our first experience but make sure you ask for a table away from the door if you are visiting on a cold day. I live in Warrenville and have dined throughout the burbs looking for great Thai food - Tusk is now a destination for us and we will visit again and again.
(4)Kerry G.
Delicious food and lovely service. It could have earned five stars if the spice/heat were kicked up a notch, but otherwise the food was great. The tom yum soup was especially tasty. Super cozy atmosphere.
(4)Sara H.
Although good and affordable Thai places are a dime a dozen in the city, the same is not true in the far Western suburbs. What makes Tusk a rarity out here is that it provides tasty Thai food at a reasonable price. There are other Thai places out here with good food, but at a premium (I'm looking at you Bistro Thai). Tusk offers good food and a great value.
(4)Chitown D.
We purchased an appetizer, four entrees, and a dessert. The appetizer and entrees were delicious. The service was pretty good. The atmosphere was a solid C+ and it seemed a bit overpriced. I would not recommend getting the mango and sticky rice dessert, as they charge about $7 for it, which seemed crazy for a quarter of a mango and some sticky rice. I would eat here again.
(4)Dick W.
I have ordered takeout from tusk several times. It never dissapoints and is very flavorful. It wont blow your mind but it is a good place for curry.
(3)Russ W.
Good stuff. We loved the Banana Blossom Salad.
(5)C L.
Tusk is a small family owned restaurant that has the best panang curry in the area. Their Thai Fire Dish is also note worthy, especially if you like your food spicy (as the name implies). I eat here all the time and I havent been dissapointed with anything on the menu. As an added bonus its BYOB, so bring a bottle of wine to go with your meal.
(5)Jeremy F.
Have recently branched out into Basil Noodles and Drunken Noodles - so far every dish is just as great. Can't wait to keep trying.
(5)Michelle F.
I am shocked at the negative reviews. We eat here a couple times a month and the food is always delicious! Better yet, it is fresh! I can't emphasize how much I prefer fresh vegetables to ones that have been sitting all day or are over cooked. The food is great and as much as I want to keep ordering my favorite dish Spicy Basil with chicken, I try to get something different each time. I am glad they became a part of our town's dining experience. Also a great place for byob! Cheers!
(5)Angie B.
The dining room is small but the food and service are excellent. My husband likes spicy food so they had many offerings that were perfect for him. We really enjoyed it!
(5)Mike L.
I had lunch here, my first visit. A big selection for lunch which included a small appetizer ( today it was spring roll). Everything was fresh and tasty. Like many Thai restaurants, they don't necessarily believe an Anglo-American when he says he likes it spicy, but they cheerfully supplied chili paste to heat the dish up. The dining room is smaller on the inside than it looks from outside, so reservations on weekend evenings are recommended. I didn't try desert, but they had at least ten choices. The service was great, the dining room is not fancy, perhaps a little cluttered and they obviously aren't hung up on absolute neatness. But I enjoyed my lunch and I will be back.
(4)Anna R.
I love Penny's Noodle shop in downtown Chicago. Since moving to the 'burbs my entire goal in Thai dining has been to find something similar. Tusk is just as tasty. The veg in the dishes is very fresh. Sometimes the food that is listed as spicy can be bland, so make sure that you tell the person who takes your order if you want it spicy.
(4)Emma M.
Friendly staff-- delicious food. BYOB.
(4)Christopher M.
Food was homey. Felt very authentic.
(4)B N.
Finally got to try this place after hearing lots of good things about it from locals. Omg! I am not easy to please and I was so impressed with the food. Finally Batavia has a restaurant that is really really yummy! Summer rolls (yes summer not spring) were awesome as was the volcano soup, the basil chicken and the panang curry!! Waitress was very sweet and very helpful. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Alison S.
I love this restaurant! I discovered it over a year ago and have been a regular ever since. I have tried many menu items in that time and have never been disappointed. If you like garlic the calamari appetizer is delicious. For your main course the panang curry is awesome (as long as you like spicy food). If you don't like spicy food they have a number of other dishes to try, they will even make things special to your liking. The service is always friendly and fast with out rushing you, and they are very good at helping you choose the right dish.
(5)Erik S.
This place is awesome!! Best Thai in Tri-Cities. We had been going to Thai Village for a long time, and I have been to some of the Thai restaurants in Geneva and St. Charles but I decided to try a new place since we always went there. I am so glad we did. The atmosphere is ok, but let's be honest most of the time you are going for the food and service than the ambiance. My wife and I started out with the Summer Sampler which was excellent. We loved the mint in the Summer rolls and the fresh taste. The tusk wraps were different than what you would expect but were tasty. The reason why it was different was that it wasn't served hot, but room temperature. It had a great flavor and I liked the contrast in texture. The money bags were a delicious fried treat. The next time we return I would love to try the calamari or mussels. I had the green curry noodle with pork and my wife had the panang noodles. Both were excellent. I had jasmine tea and my wife had a Thai iced tea. The food was awesome. What can I say. Now what makes this stand out is the service. We were greeted with a smile, asked if we had ever been which we hadn't. Our waitress told us the concept and how her mother was the one cooking which I loved. If you ever want good food, go to someone's mom. I had a problem deciding what I wanted, and I told her my cravings and she recommended an excellent dish. I never had to ask to refill my water, which is huge for me as I drink a lot. The only thing that I wish I had known before is that it is BYOB. I would have brought a bottle of wine to cap off the wonderful evening. We will definitely be coming here from now on. 5 stars
(5)Carley K.
I went to Tusk Thai with a group of about a dozen for lunch. We called ahead, so they had a table waiting for us. The food was very tasty, I liked the egg role appetizer and the green curry noodles with tofu. It was a good sized portion, not too oily, and flavorful. Thai restaurants aren't as common here as in the SF Bay Area, but this one holds its own, I plan to return. I was happy to hear that they make curry without fish sauce or shrimp paste, music to my ears. Someone else at my table also told me that they have gluten-free soy sauce, which makes this her favorite, and perhaps only, thai option in town.
(4)Michael L.
My family eats a lot of Thai food - including in the big city of Chicago. We visited Tusk Thai for the very first time on Friday 1/22/2010. It's BYOB so that's great. Was impressed with two things - 1) appetizer selection and quality and 2) friendly service. Pricing was on-par with other Thai restaurants in the area. The $10.95 appetizer sampler has a very nice presentation - not a ton of food - but good size for a party of four. Our waitress explained how the sauces were used for each of the 4 or 5 tasting portions. Everything seemed very fresh and our waitress gave us some ordering tips and described everything well. Pad Seyew was very good as well - fresh ingredients. Chicken Satay was very good. The Pad Thai (we got tofu for our veggie daughter) was adequate, but wasn't a big standout. My red curry was a bit thinner than other Thai restaurants, they use eggplant a lot in their recipes too. So far, a dead heat with Bangkok Thai in Geneva - both very good, BYOB and inexpensive!
(4)Amy O.
This is the best thai food ever! Tom Kar soup, Volcano Soup, Panang curry, Gaeng Khua Koong (vermicelli noodles with red curry, coconut milk, shrimp,etc) - absolutely delicious. We just tried the Basil Duck last night - Yum! We love spicy food and often have a hard time finding restaurants that give us heat and taste. Tusk Thai does this perfectly. (We ask for a little extra heat). Desserts are unusal, but tasty - definately worth trying. Their food is fresh, creative, well presented, well priced, good sized portions, friendly service, and they will even deliver quickly around the area. We order from here often when we have guests visiting, and everyone has been equally impressed. Bring your own wine/beer and you'll be happy with your bill.
(5)steve h.
Very good food, polite service, very fair prices but dining room is a bit cramped. I've enjoyed everything ordered in four different visits. I've eaten in several Thai restaurants across the city and suburbs, and find Tusk to be second only to 1 amazing place in Chicago. That's a long ways to go for dinner, so I'll eat at Tusk!
(5)J H.
Just had lunch here - it was great! Server was attentive but not annoying, Started with an appetizer that came with lunch special - spring rolls. Very good. I had the Panang Curry. It was just the right amount of food. Sauce was good- veggies were crisp and fresh and tofu was good. I was very pleased and could easily become addicted!! Husband had Basil Beef. He said it was spicy and quite good. Daughter had the Sesame Chicken which she ate up and announced "We HAVE to come here again". For dessert, husband and I had the sticky rice with mango. This was excellent and just sweet enough to end our meal. Daughter had the fried ice cream - it looked quite good and she really enjoyed it. We have found another restaurant to place on our " must visit again" list!
(5)Tori M.
The ONLY reason this place didn't get 5 stars is because Boraan's (a Thai place in Naperville that shut down) was still better so I couldn't in all honesty call Tusk "ask good as it gets." But its pretty darn close. I called to place a to-go order on a Wednesday evening and the man on the phone had just the sweetest voice without a hint of impatience. It was the kind of voice that makes you think you're talking to your grandfather. So being my first impression, I was already pleased. He did neglect to give me my total over the phone but, no big deal. When we went to pick up our food at the downtown Batavia location, the whole area was bustling with people. The inside was crowded and their was a group of girlfriends gathering outside preparing to go in. My food was ready in the 15 minute timeframe promised by the man on the phone. We got the chicken satay as an appetizer which included 4 skewers of chicken with lite yellow curry and a scrumptious peanut dipping sauce. I could have drank that stuff! However, the chicken was kind of dry and nothing special. I probably would not order again. As for entrees we both got the pad thai (request for spicy!) mine with tofu and Brock's with shrimp. Both were cooked perfectly. The flavors were perfect and it was just the right amount of spiciness. The lime it comes with really sets it off! In the future I will ask for extra lime slices. The price was typical as far as Thai restaurants. Our total was $30.00. Next time I want to eat-in and take advantage of the BYOB!
(4)Karen C.
Excellent basil fried rice! Cute little area and it's BYOB!! I highly recommend some wine from Prairie State Winery - SNAP is perfect!!!
(5)Vivian P.
Yes, everything yes about this place when even a simple yes can convey the happiness and food baby coma that happens after a great meal. We braved the snowy tundra one Sunday in January (2 days ago), ordering appetizers, entrees and dessert. Crab rangoons, money bags, and potstickers. I asked for actually money in my money bags, instead I got a nice combination of shrimp and meat inside of wonton wrappers. Crab rangoons and potstickers oh my gosh yum. Panagn noodles tasted so good for such a beautiful snowy night! Noodles cooked well and crispy, curry with coconut milk was smoothly sweet, and tofu cooked perfectly. Finally, Thai Pumpkin Custard, how is custard this good? Thank you Tusk for a great meal, for your company (great service and lots of laughter), and refuge on a snowy night.
(4)Alyssa J P.
Pretty darn decent Thai food, plenty of vegan options, expansive menu (even for lunch) and great prices. Good to know I have a good dining option in Batavia!
(4)Vivian Y.
My favorite Thai in the area. I've travelled to Thailand 3 time and have explored the cuisine (street food and restaurants) extensively and feel that this restaurant provides and excellent representation. Loses one star for consistently because I've had super spicy green curries (love!) while other times it's jus medium hot. We normally order take out.
(4)Laura R.
Food is amazing!! Love the three sisters/owners. So very nice and accommodating. Summer rolls, Nam Sod salad, curries, Fire, etc... Everything is my favorite!! I really like the BYOB, as you can bring your favorite beers in! Love, love, love this place!!
(5)Steve H.
Excellent authentic thai food at a reasonable price. Spicy food lovers can order it as hot as they want. BYOB is a huge plus. Fun and friendly service is a nice touch. We will be back.
(4)Kimberly H.
Our family eats here once or twice per month (maybe more).Take-out or dine-in. The employees are gracious and helpful. I love their Penang Chicken, or the Basil chicken. Since having visited Thailand a few times, I'm quite picky when it comes to Thai food. The owners are Thai and their dishes are authentic. The atmosphere is casual, and it's BYOB.
(5)A L.
I tried Tusk for the first time last week and went during their weekday lunch special hour. It did not disappoint! I ordered the Panang rice dish with chicken and my father ordered the Pad See Ew with beef. We also tried the Thai fried rice and it was spectacular. The service was great and the lunch special had more than enough food for $8, can't beat a deal like that and delicious! We returned again today and again were pleased with our meal and this time I tried their Tom Yum soup with chicken and the Drunken noodle lunch special. Both were excellent and wait time was minimal. We will definitely be returning soon!
(5)Daniel A.
Had the Siam appetizer tray tonight. It was very good. Also, had the dumpling wonton soup. Excellent! My entree was the beef pad Thai. What a great dish!! Can't wait to try the other entrees.
(4)Dave S.
Quite possibly one the best Thai restaurants in suburbs. Could be a little cleaner and there are only a few tables and service could be slow because it is run by a family that also works there. But that is all worth it when you actually taste there food.
(4)J B.
We recently went to Tusk Thai after hearing many positive comments from friends. The good: The food was excellent, and Tusk Thai is BYOB. The not-so-good: The service was pretty atrocious. We were seated quickly, given water and a corkscrew immediately by the bus boy, but that was it. Despite the relatively small size of the place, and the fact that we were in the middle (rather than a table in a corner) no one seemed to notice or care that we hadn't been given menus. Employees literally walked past us or tended to other tables numerous times without noticing. After 10 minutes, I walked to the server station and asked for menus. The hostess apologized profusely, gave us menus and walked away. I was hoping that this might have improved the amount of attention they bestowed on us. I was wrong. We then waited another 15 minutes for someone to come by and take our order. In short, it took a grand total of 25 minutes for someone to take our order. They don't get a pass in my book simply because it was a Saturday night... they're an established business and should be able to deal more efficiently with the ebbs and flow of service. Plus, it's a small restaurant, and someone should have noticed we weren't being serviced. I respect small family run businesses, so I'm going to give them another chance, but at least on this evening, the service wasn't acceptable.
(2)Kyle D.
Tusk Thai is my new favorite Thai restaurant and hands down the best I've had in the West Suburbs. I have somewhat of a refined taste when it comes to Thai food because I studied Thai language in college and fell in love with the culture. Tusk has great Spicy Basil rice and Red Curry (the two dishes I've ordered so far) and great customer service. If you ask for something extra spicy it will be spicy, which is a rarity with other restaurants. It is also affordable relative to other Thai restaurants. If you are deciding between Thai Village and Tusk Thai while you're in the Batavia area, trust me, go with Tusk. The quality is much better and prices aren't quite as steep which makes the choice simple for me. Overall Tusk is awesome and I highly recommend it to Thai lovers and anyone looking for a excellent dining experience.
(5)Jjrun 8.
I had the Chicken Pad Thai, Spring rolls, and a Thai Tea. I came during lunch hour which surprising it was not full. The service was quick and the food tasted delicious. My Thai Tea however was way too sweet for my comfort. I did had to water it down. I do plan on coming again to try their other dishes. I gave this place a 4 star because it did not have a wide select of plates for a Thai Restaurant. Overall, it is worth returning.
(4)Hannah G.
The owner said the food was delicious because it was fresh and home made. She wasn't kidding. Food was beyond great. Quick fast service. Friendly. I can't wait to go back!!
(5)S S.
As continued my diabolical flavor conquest, my journey led me to this little place hidden within downtown Batavia. I walk through the front door to an awkward greeting. Yes? I'm asked. I tell her it's just me for a table of one. Then no response, shall I just sit? Run? I gesture to the table and have a seat. I'm brought a menu that was smaller than expected but lunch specials are in order. I eventually decide on the panang curry. When order I was met with a blank stare. An awkward pause then I toe a second look at the menu as I felt I had missed something. Ah yes, with chicken. Nothing but a quiet hmph or sorts and away she went. I spiked my tasty Thai iced coffee, a must at any Thai restaurant if you ask me. My food arrices, tho smaller than expected, and not as flattering to the eyes as I hoped. I took my first bite was quite pleasntly surprised. Tender chicken with a good balance of curry and spices. The rice sticky and delicious. The portion just right for a lunch special. Overall I had mixed feelings about my adventure. The service was a bit questionable on this day. Made for a strange dining experience. But the food was tasty and we'll priced.
(3)Meredith K.
I was lucky enough to dine with a Batavian otherwise I would have never known about this little gem. And by little I mean make a reservation b/c its small and popular. I came here with a big group and we had a wonderful meal. Its a BYOB so we stopped by the local liquor store that's nearby. They are good about keeping your water filled but they didn't offer to put my bubbly on ice. That's ok b/c it didn't last long enough to get warm. We stared with an appetizer sampler. The one that comes with a spring roll, money bag, coconut shrimp, dumpling and lettuce cup. Everything was one bite which was perfect! Very tasty. I liked everything. I had the shrimp casserole which took longer than everyone else at the table. I'm not going to remove a star for that but it was annoying as there were 7 of us and only 1 didn't get their food right away. When it came out I wasn't expecting it to be in a clay pot with a lid. The flavors were great but it was a little difficult to eat. I didn't want to get any of it on my shirt. Its like a soup but full of noodles and shrimp with the tails still on. That is awkward when they don't give you a knife. I think next time I'll stick with a basic noodle dish. We tried two of the desserts. The fried ice cream and chocolate cake. The cake was the winner. The ice cream was not like the Mexican kind but more like a fried wonton over a little scoop of vanilla. It tasted like a donut which is not a bad thing. This is where I would go if I found myself back in Batavia at dinnertime.
(5)Nathan T.
On a not particularly busy Saturday night, my wife and I arrived and were to told leave our number since no tables available and they would call us when a table opened in 15-20 minutes. We asked if anyone be else was waiting and they said no, we were first. After 15 minutes we came back to find that at least five other parties had arrivied and were crowded into the small area by the register and around the bathroom. Two parties were seated as we waited to speak to the staff. When we were finally able to muscle through we were told we would have to wait until the others , who had arrived after us, were seated. Food is fine, but I would not recommend them based on duplicitious treatment.
(1)Katherine V.
So I am sadly disappointed by this place based on the reviews I read prior to coming here. The food was mediocre and the service was just ok. I guess you have to be a "regular" to get more attention. The ambiance looked decent and that's really about it. This again proves my point that the best Thai food can sometimes be found at a hole in a wall. Next stop... Thai Village also here in Batavia!
(2)Joe R.
Bar none, the best Thai food within 30 miles. We've tried every single place between Westmont and Aurora/Batavia. The prices are really affordable, too! I almost always get my food a little extra spicy, and they're always able to season it just right without nuking the flavor out of the dish! The fact that it's BYOB is a huge value add, in my book! The only place that is as good as Tusk Thai is Mai Thai in Westmont.
(5)Candida S.
I like fresh and I like food that tastes authentic, not generic. Best Tom Kah soup I have ever had: the key is to balance the several different spices and the fish/chili paste stock, also the coconut milk they use is not watery. Best comfort food served? Lard Nah in a generous serving size. The tasty Basil Beef has fresh basil in it. Appetizers? Don't miss the large Coconut Shrimp with tender pieces of shredded coconut: some places serve shrimp with coconut flavored batter BUT not here! This is real coconut. Don't like it too spicy? Let them know because it can get authentically THAI hot :) Hint: if it's too spicy ask for a glass of coconut water (comes with the pulp in it, Mmm) and that will quench the fire. Perfect white rice, just the right amount of moisture. I normally hate white rice but theirs I will eat :) Don't miss the Mango Sticky Rice dessert or the serving of Pumpkin Custard, a light dessert for when you are full :) It's a family owned restaurant where I think I have seen 3 different generations serving and during non-rush hours they will enjoy having a chat with you on restaurant ownership and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Yes, its a small place and the decor is pleasant but not "trendy". BYOB! I have probably eaten here at least 15x and have never been disappointed, I joined Yelp just to review this favorite place to eat.
(5)Sue A.
Second time here! Had the Siam platter for two as a appetizer , delicious !!! Had the dumpling soup, also delicious! Pad Thai beef very tasty and large portion . Also tried the teriyaki chicken , very good and flavorful with slivers of ginger! My husband and I love this place! Waitstaff very attentive . Small little place with big flavor ! Try it, you will love it!!!
(5)John G.
A family run restaurant with great food.. It's BYO. Chive dumplings and tusk wraps are a good way to start. The Thai fire dish is good if you like hot. I like the drunken noodles with chicken. Sesame chicken is another favorite. We never have room for dessert.
(4)Ram R.
Tusk...where do I begin? I grew up a few blocks from Tusk. It used to be Fantastico, I believe, way back in the day. I've gotten take-out from them a few times (summer rolls, curries, etc.) and the food has been good. However, the service has seemed to always lack. When I've called sometimes the phone wasn't answered. When I came in to pick up my orders it has taken some wait time. Fast forward to August 29, 2014 when I decided that my girlfriend and I should go there for Thai because she had a taste for it. By the way, I have a beautiful girlfriend (she's watching me as I type this). She was pumped! We called at 5:30pm to make reservations for 6:30pm, which they took. We got there at 6:30pm, and stood around like idiots for 5 minutes while staff walked past us repeatedly and we were not acknowledged. When we finally spoke up and said we had reservations for two for 6:30pm, my girlfriend got looked at like she was Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China in the beginning of the movie (right before the Lem Li funeral and the Three Storms) when he asked that Chinese woman on the balcony a question and she casually shut the doors on him. They went about their business giving slack-jawed answers that neither of us could understand. What I COULD understand was that "we have no tables ready" even though there were two tables clearly open (one four seater and one two seater). After that it was all silence. People came and went, and we still stood there like s**t-chucking apes. Finally after about 15 minutes I told Short Round (at least that's what he looked like...god I love Temple of Doom) that we were leaving. Nobody batted an eye. Seriously...if a restaurant's MO is to act THAT pompous you better have food that I'd choose over a blowjob. In this case, I can get better Thai from Vino Thai or Bangkok. Or even Thai Village in Batavia. Tusk is never even getting close to considered by me anymore. But if you feel like getting tusked up your brown eye, well, good luck to you.
(1)B C.
Best Thai food I've ever had! Place is nice but very small! Staff is very attentive making sure you have everything you need. For an appetizer I ordered chicken satay which are basically thin slices of chicken breast on a skewer. They bring them out with a variety of sauces to dip them in, absolutely delicious! As my main dish I had the Tusk fried rice with chicken. It is flavored and cooked to perfection! Pretty big portion too! To make things even better it's a BYOB place so you'll notice your bill is not looking crazy because when you dine out somewhere, mixed drinks or whatever it is you're drinking, usually makes your meal a little pricy. No need to worry about that here because you bring your own! They have great prices for their tasty food! I definitely recommend this place but you might want to call ahead to see what the waiting time will be to be seated, if any!
(5)Lillian W.
Love this place. Everything we've ever had to eat here has been outstanding. Food is reasonably priced and it is delicious. I made the mistake of going to another local Thai restaurant last night because Tusk was closed and what a disappointment that was. Almost all the negative reviews on Tusk are about service. I can live with that as long as the food is outstanding and it is.
(5)Jessica K.
Honestly? I don't understand the positive reviews. The red curry was watery, flavorless(except for spicy) & full of bamboo shoots. Like 10 bamboo shoots to 1 of any other ingredient. The Tom Kha was thin, curdled & full of slimy mushrooms. The Pad Woon Sen was weak on flavor & had clumps of noodles, bitter cabbage, more slimy mushrooms & overcooked veggies. The Summer Rolls I didn't even try as the bean sprouts were way way past their prime(we're talking mushy, brown & slimy). Overall it was really disappointing. I really had high hopes from the positive reviews & a general desire for family run businesses to succeed, but I was let down. Maybe it's because we got take out. The dining room was cute & had nice ambience. Hopefully it was just an off night.
(2)Deb H.
I adore this little place. The lunch specials are just the right size and price, and the service is fast and efficient. The Basil Chicken is a repeatable offense. There are plenty of appetizer and dessert choices to round out your meal, but I don't always find this necessary. The main dishes pop with flavor and quality. The building and location are both unassuming, but please don't let this deter you. Here's a book that shouldn't be judged by its cover!
(5)Rob H.
Almost perfect. My S.O. and I have an obsessive need to find the best Thai food, nearest Elgin. Since the passing of our beloved Akina's, our search has taken us from Crystal to Schamburg, Saint Charles, Algonquin and Batavia. Tusk does so many things well. Tusk is a BYOB restaurant. There is no corking fee/glass fee for bringing your own wine/beer. Most of the other tables here also had a bottle (or more) of wine on them. This is a really nice touch, and one of the reasons we chose to try it. Tusk is a very small restaurant, perhaps 20 tables for 2-3 people. So arrive early or expect to wait. Arriving at 6:30 on a Saturday, my party of 3 got the last table for about an hour or so. Next time, I will plan to arrive earlier, or much later. There is construction on the streets nearby, which creates some additional hassles. Also, the surrounding area is quite crowded with restaurants. Expect parking to be an issue. There is a very very small parking garage across the street. However there was only a single space available when we arrived at 6:30. The tight corners and narrow spaces may be intimidating for larger vehicles or hesitant drivers. **TIP: drop your passengers off, then locate a parking spot. This may get you in quite a bit earlier, as parking could be a 10-15 minute hunt. ****** For the main course dinners as follows: Panang Curry with chicken: My wife's favorite curry, and this one was delicious. Nicely balanced sweet/sour/spicy/salty flavors. Pad Thai with tofu: Well made, with noddles having a nice firm consistency, and fresh bean sprouts, and carrots. Larb Kai with ground chicken: Finally, a place that serves this. Ordered extra spicy and I was in heaven. For dessert we requested mango's and sticky rice. Unfortunately, they brought us papaya and sticky rice. Not quite the same thing. It wouldn't have been a big deal to tell us they didn't have ripe mangoes (which I would have greatly appreciated.) Instead we ended the otherwise delicious dinner on an off note. Also the only reason why the got 4 stars not 5. Ce' est la vie. Definitely want to go back and see if they can do better in the dessert area.
(4)William B.
We have been eating at Tusk regularly since they opened. Nice people, good service, and excellent food. We are vegetarian and their vege sellections are excellent!
(5)E W.
Amazing Thai food at very reasonable prices! My husband and I frequent Tusk regularly, and never get tired of the great menu options (there are many). Our favorites are the Tom Kar soup and the Mussamon, The spring and summer rolls are also very tasty appetizers too! Its a small space, but perfect for a mellow evening out. The food is always fresh and delicious, and don't forget to BYOB! We love you Tusk!
(5)Dan G.
Great atmosphere and phenomenal food. Great little BYOB with great service and unlike every other restaurant they don't nickel and dime you for extra rice etc. Seafood red curry is a must.
(4)Bill J.
This was my first time at Tusk, and I have to say the food was excellent! I will be returning very soon!
(5)Karen S.
I went to Tusk on a Saturday night with three girlfriends. I hadn't been in a few months and was craving Thai. The place was packed but the staff was very friendly and communicative on when we would have a table. We were seated and immediately brought glasses and a corkscrew for our wine. This place is BYOB! We each ordered an appetizer and an entree. I had the Money Bags which are crispy little stuffed pouches. Two friends had the Chive Dumplings which they have raved about in the past. For an entree I had the Pad Thai with chicken. It's nothing exotic, but I think Tusk has the BEST. I couldn't tell you what my friends ordered because I was so wrapped up in my Pad Thai, but they all enjoyed their dinners. The place was winding down for the night but our sweet server - who I believe is the owner's daughter - never rushed us so we stayed and chatted and finished our wine. Our bill was $20 each for app & entree which I think makes for a great, reasonable girls night out. Overall the food and service was great. I always love this place and need to visit or do carry out more often.
(5)Smith L.
Great food and service and it's a BYOB! Had a Friday night reservation and our table was ready for us when we arrived with wine glasses and opener on the table. Made a good choice in ordering the Siam sampler for a starter and were able to try 5 different appetizers that were not only delicious but beautifully presented. For entrées we ordered cashew chicken and the spicy garlic scallops and both were excellent and made with fresh ingredients. Servings are just the right size and we had room left to indulge in the Thai pumpkin custard that was the perfect ending to a great meal. Wonderful dining experience for under $40 for two people.
(4)Linda R.
Dreadful. I don't see how anyone could rate this as acceptable. The first time I met someone here for lunch I thought I must have had an unusual experience based on the positive reviews. Nope. Went there today to meet a different friend. The only thing positive was the water and the price. Sesame chicken had tiny bits of chicken in mounds of batter and a thick sauce that didn't contain any sesame seeds. The rice was soggy. No vegetables. Poorly made spring rolls. My friend's Pad Thai was just a gooey mass of noodles with a couple of sprouts. The lime, cilantro, egg and carrots were missing. I have been to Thailand multiple times and street vendors do a better job. Avoid this place.
(1)Dave S.
Life isn't fair. How come I live in Lombard, with a population of 43,000 that has no Thai in its downtown area, but little Batavia (population of 27K or so) gets THREE Thai downtown joints? Why? Where was the Thai when I lived here? Of those three, Yelp reviewers gave the biggest thumbs-up to Tusk Thai. I remember this building as the place that used to be the ironically-named Global Cafe, a coffee shop owned by the current city administrator, back in the '90s. But that somewhat sterile environment is long gone, with pleasant paneling, lighting and shades. However, it is still cozy. We were about to be seated in a cramped table for two, but when my wife and her big winter coat couldn't easily fit into the seat, they quickly offered to move us. It was still a little cramped, and as were by the door, we felt a draft every time someone came in for a seat or for take-out, and there were a fair number of people taking it out. With time to kill before the play at the local theater started, we ordered an appetizer of tempura before entrees of drunken noodles and panang with crispy noodles. I'm not an expert on tempura, but I can't imagine it ever being much better than Tusk's version. Light breading, a big and tasty variety of vegetables and shrimp, decent sweet-and-sour sauce. Who would slice a cobette in half and fry it? Tusk would! Cool. Even the carrot was good. My drunken noodle entree (no "pad kee mao" here, just "drunken noodles") was a little light on the drink, and that was just fine for me on this evening. A nice assortment of vegetables were part of the entree. It was pretty good, though not a personal best. My eyes kept wandering toward my wife's dish. (Usually my eyes wander her way anyway.) The server (and daughter of the owner) said that, even though rice soaks up the panang sauce better, using lightly-fried noodles was the trendy urban way to eat panang. (In Batavia? Trendy? Well, it's not the town I remember, so maybe.) And it was fantastic. Our entrees came before we were finished with the appetizer, but the server's suggestion was not to wait on the noodles. The panang had a good mix of vegetables and meat. The crispy-in-places noodles were a welcome complement to the incredible sauce. Tusk's panang has spoiled my wife. She's told me that she won't be able to try anything else on Tusk's menu. Maybe panang with rice. But that panang was killer. Get this and you may want a spoon to get at the rest of the sauce. Or a straw. I won't even fault you for licking the plate; it crossed my mind more than once. Perhaps next time I'll get something else and have an updated review, but I don't see how I can give Tusk less than five stars. It's quality food and a decent price with a nice, small-guy ambiance. Dang you, Batavia. Lombard should be so lucky.
(5)derek p.
First: Tusk is the best Thai in the area. Second: It's not cheap, but the prices are definitely on par with the quality. See, I like shoving food in my hole until my speech slurs and my heart tries to climb out of my chest. I probably eat upwards of 1,200 calories in one sitting when I eat out, so when I go here I always get two entrees and spend kind of a lot of money. I am docking one star for the lack of binge-eater-portion-size options.
(4)Andy P.
Wow wow wow!! Amazing food with amazing personal staff. I have been to many Thai restrants in Chicago and this by far my favorite. Curry chicken is perfect savory flavoring with right spice. I love there cat fish as well with extra sauce. I wish this small establishment would get on Chicago's best or something. By the way the beef salad is very good also.
(5)