Thai Golden Elephant
712 Higgins Rd, Park Ridge, IL, 60068
Thai Golden Elephant Menu
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Address :
712 Higgins Rd
Park Ridge, IL, 60068 - Phone (847) 698-1168
- Website https://www.ThaiGoldenElephant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Katrina B.
I could hear them searing my pad kee mao in a wok right before it landed on my table. It was hot and seared and savory. As usual in spite of the chile pepper designating it spicy, the dish was completely mild. Thai restaurants really don't add any spice unless you ask, in this area. I had a taro custard for desert, which was divine.
(5)Tonya E.
I've ordered delivery to the Westin O'Hare and the Matriott Suites - always prompt with everything hot, plus a smile and a thank you. The tofu vegetable soup is a good starter with a lot of tofu. Piping hot! The chicken satay is one of the best I've had with a great texture to the peanut sauce. The crab puffs are also good, stuffed full and creamy. The chicken pad Thai is a generous portion with plenty of chicken. I'll keep ordering!
(5)Christina G.
I think 3 stars is an accurate rating for Thai Golden Elephant. Nothing really bad, but nothing amazing either. I'd been trying out thai places nearby in the hopes of finding a new go-to Thai place for dinner cravings. I'd tried this place before, but for reasons forgotten, I dismissed it. Fast forward to a Friday night when I was starving and just needed something quick. My husband ordered us crab rangoons, pad thai, and curry chicken for carry out. They told us it would be ready in 15 minutes, and it was ready when my husband walked in to get it. The rangoons were pretty good. They were on the smaller side, but no complaints there. My husband said he liked the curry, though it didn't have that kick that curry usually has. Still, he said he liked it. My pad thai was fine - pretty average. The noodles seemed a bit greasier than other places, and I was a bit disappointed in the amount of chicken (they definitely skimped). But, the portion size was more than adequate and the taste was pretty good. Here's the thing - there are better thai places, but they're further away. I definitely prefer those other places, but for a quick thai dinner, this place will do you just fine.
(3)Wendy H.
Cute little thai spot near O'Hare. The food was not amazing, but it was decent. A good thai option for the area. The tom kha was okay, but felt a little too heavy and oily. The pad see ew was savory and sweet. The green curry was probably the best dish here. Great prices for what you get though. Very affordable. Will actually bump them to 4 stars because of the prices.
(4)Kathy K.
Service was fast, and the restaurant is clean. I was staying at a nearby hotel and needed a good dinner option. There were five of us, and we used the Yelp check-in offer to get two Thai rolls. Who doesn't like a free Thai spring roll? The menu is your standard Thai restaurant. We ordered the Thai spring rolls, a soup, a curry dish, the eggplant, and a noodle dish. The dishes were good, nothing mind-blowing. In fact, the dishes were a bit lukewarm, not hot-off-the-stove, which seemed a bit odd considering the kitchen was fast. If you are staying at a hotel nearby or in the area for lunch, this is a good alternative to the pricier chains. I would just ask for your food to be served at a hotter temperature. Just make sure you differentiate between spice and temperature or you might be in trouble.
(3)I H.
Went there on a Saturday at 6:30 pm. Was closed. When the website shows it should be open. Pissed!!!!
(1)Crab A.
One thing I like about working in multiple locations throughout Chicagoland is the opportunity to try new restaurants. I'm partial to Thai food & a friend recommended Thai Golden Elephant, so I gave it a try. It was pretty good. They offer a Yelp check-in special for two Thai rolls. Free food is always a good way to start a relationship so they get instant points there. The rolls were spot-on; freshly made & crispy w a tasty sweet/sour sauce. Meal started w a tasty but slightly lukewarm soup of chicken broth, rice, carrot, cilantro, & ginger. I promptly & happily consumed it. I tried Masaman curry w tofu for the entrée. It was well-made and full of flavor but didnt completely suit my palate. However, it seemed to have been prepared w enough care & skill to warrant a return trip and order something else. A strong menu filled w tasty options at an inviting space with friendly service. Id return again but would order a different entree.
(3)Justin R.
Food was good, the lunch portion of Pad Thai was small for $8. Not sure I would go back, I needed to get lunch while I was getting an oil change at Jiffy Lube next door.... Both businesses are equally as dazzling in their service.
(4)Christine R.
This place was a total disappointment. The luch special had very little food. They kept messing up our order and the food was terrible--rubbery chicken, over-salted soup, etc. in the end it was 17 per person and I'm still hungry.
(1)Sheena H.
Really good food, and the owner was super nice and friendly to us and other customers. I would definitely return here.
(4)Pearl T.
Hungry for Thai flying into O'Hare and this place was not too far off the path home. Ordered chicken satay (not bad), beef pad see ewe (yum!), chicken pad Thai (good), and roast duck curry (so-so). Small restaurant with maybe 10 tables or so and some Thai TV shows were being watched on an iPad in the corner fairly loudly... But I guess that is pretty authentic Thai mom-and-pop restaurant vibe! :). If in the area and craving Thai, I'd probably go back.
(4)Scott B.
I do not recommend this restaurant. Ordered for delivery gave the woman in the phone the order and the address (multiple times since she did not understand English well) but she eventually got it right. Not really a problem. The I get the phonecall. The one where she proceeds to lambast me for my address being outside of their delivery area. Basically an a$$ chewing from a restaurant owner to a delivery customer. First time in my life I've had that experience. Now, I live fairly easy close to this restaurant, and according to Google Maps, I am 3 miles and 8 minutes from the restaurant, Seems like a reasonably close delivery in the city to me. The owner should tell the staff that it is impolite to scream and hurl insults at the customers because they were too incompetent to check the delivery address. Unbelievable. You can bet we won't be doing any more business here.
(1)Bharat K.
Very tasty food!!! Run by a bunch of very friendly people!!! Lots of options!! Good lunch specials!!!
(5)Michelle U.
Never again. The old lady who answered the phone and rang up my order was so rude, and then the final insult--I had to throw my whole order out because she botched it. I ordered salmon curry. I repeated the order three times. I get it home and dump it in a bowl and in the soupy-looking curry were pieces of chicken, which I do not eat. Nothing about my experience was acceptable. Stay away from this place.
(1)Tao L.
I was staying at a nearbyhotel and had a great lunch experience there. Pad thai was asespected and chicken satay was even better. They served dishes very fast.
(5)Morty M.
I ordered delivery. Driver could not find my office and would not take direction and was very argumentative. They charged me for delivery anyway. Owner is a total jerk!
(1)P L.
The food was average and I would have normally given it a 3 but their customer service really turned me off. I had originally called in to place a carryout order for the lunch special Pad Thai that was on their website and was told that they no longer served lunch portions. Fair enough, I understand menus could change and not all companies keep their websites updated. I ended up with the regular portion. But when I went to pick up the food, there was clearly a sign right by the cashier about lunch specials. I couldn't help but ask the lady why she had told me they didn't serve lunch portions. She said it was the owner's decision to not do specials for carryout orders due to customers' complaints about their portions. Then she went on to rant about how Thai food was different from Chinese food, that the quality was better and they could not provide the same quantity for the same price. I'm sorry but false advertising is bad enough, racism is much worse. I will not come back again.
(1)Azmina H.
I will not return to this restaurant ever. The service is bad. Food quality has gone down. They just dump everything on table and do not care of if the serving ware is clean. Entree came in before soup. When mentioned she just picked up the entree kept it on side table. Served the soup and brought the same food on table again.
(1)Larysa K.
Park Ridge Award: "Best of 2013"......I think not. Co-worker and I had a taste for something different this afternoon for lunch and came across this place online and I have to say we were both very disappointed. I'm giving these guys two stars solely because of the wonderful customer service I received from the woman at the front desk, otherwise I would of given them 1 star. The two of us combined almost paid $40 dollars for two meals that were quite small, unappetizing and unsatisfying. I do not recommend this place, try Lins Mandarin down the street.
(2)Christopher B.
They should just close already. Food on the ceiling they don't bother to clean off, apathetic staff sitting and looking at their devices. The lady that took our order acted like she used to work in a Thai prison as a cafeteria worker. Then the food..., cheap portions, the 'shrimp' tempura had exactly two shrimp. And the dinner entree portions were more like lunch portions. My chicken red curry had exactly 5, yes 5, SLIVERS of chicken. And nothing is prepared fresh, nothing. This is unlike most Thai restaurants I have been to. The vegetables in the curry were clearly cooked hours before and sat in a pot. Then they simply warmed them up for us, probably in a microwave, because I heard the beep. This created over-cooked vegetables and dry leathery chicken. This place is unsuitable for anyone accept people who stay in the ugly hotels near the expressway. Locals can find plenty of better Thai options!!
(1)Ron S.
Stopped in for Thai food while in the area. We were greeted cheerfully when we arrived. Shortly afterwards the waitress took our drink. The waitress was cheerful and efficient. Unfortunately the food did not live up to the level of the service. We were not asked for our preferred level of spiciness. The pad Thai was ok. The drunken noodles were not spicy whatsoever and were in fact bland. The masuman curry would have been unidentifiable had I not known I had ordered it. I am giving two stars for the cheerful service. Based on food alone it would be one star. *Edited to more accurately represent the quality of the dining experience.
(2)J V.
This place was very quiet. We ordered just small items like spring rolls and fried rice. Although the staff speaks broken English, we were able to understand them and our waitress was very attentive and helpful. The fried rice was REALLY good. Spring rolls.. were ok.
(4)Joel M.
Pickup order of Lad Nar with chicken and Rama Curry Noodle with beef. Both entrees were very tasty, however both only had a little meat. Both entrees came with deep fried wide rice noodles which were a little greasy. Next time we'll probably mix it up and order a seafood or rice entree!
(3)Julie M.
I wish I had checked YELP before I ordered from this restaurant. I'm at a nearby hotel. I realized after she left that I had been overcharged. I'm suspicious they added a delivery feel to my order. I ordered Wonton soup that was bland and oily. The eggplant was also bland. There were no soy sauce or hot sauce packets included to flavor the food. I definitely will not be ordering from here again.
(1)Jigna P.
I got delivery from this place. Really nice option for the near by hotels. The drunken noodles were really good. I was slightly disappointed in the chicken red curry though. There was like one piece of chicken, hardly any curry, and it was loaded with green bell peppers. Not what I was expecting. Besides that, it's decent if you don't have a car and are craving 9pm Thai food.
(3)Fotiny D.
First time ordering from here. The food was good. But I want to say there wasn't much in it. I ordered the red curry. I felt like I ordered a bowl of soup with three small pieces of chicken along with the skimpiest veggies they could of given. I wanted a meal that would fill me up. Instead I paid $10 for soup
(2)Thanasi L.
I highly recommend Golden Elephant. They have high quality authentic food. The owner and staff really put their heart and soul into every dish and it shows up in the food! I have tried many dishes here but my favorite that I recommend you try are: Crab Cheese Wontons, Spicy Drunken Fried Rice, Panag Curry and Garee. You can't go wrong with any of these.
(5)Justin J.
Nice people and decent pad thai
(3)Anya C.
When I want some pad thai but am not in the vicinity of my nearest Bangkok Belly, I come here. Sure wish the prices were proportionate to the portions though, otherwise I would give this place a few more stars. The food itself is phenomenal though, so that's something to consider. Wish there was more of that peanutty goodness on my plate though. They have very good veggie spring rolls, just priced higher than at any other thai restaurant I've been to. Think of this as a small tourist trap for those staying across the street at the Spring Hill Suites. If you're desperate for pad thai like, right now, and are driving down Higgins Rd, then by all means. Just try not to blow a gasket when you get your check.
(3)Jetta M.
Absolutely horrible. Dont bother regardless of the other reviews. Its not Thai, or Chinese or anything else i have tried to eat. Gross, no flavor. dont eat here, even if you are staying at nearby hotels. trust me on this -- not good! They also did not include utensils with my take out. People there are also very rude and dont appreciate your money.
(1)Chukki S.
Pretty standard Thai place. I had the Phad Thai chicken. It was okay. One thing was odd is that they don't do the "stars" system of spiciness. That is the first thai place I have ever been to that doesn't do that. Very strange. Overall it was okay. Pretty average. Service and prices were decent.
(3)Joon K.
I came here for lunch today. Normal lunch hour. We were the second table to be seated... my colleague wanted a window seat, but the one next to the window was a 4-top, so some lady yelled at us saying that table was reserved... "Sit where 2 people"... or something. (I'm not being racist, by the way, I'm a Korean guy. With that being said, I do NOT need to be yelled at as soon as I go into a restaurant). 11:45, seated. 11:50, water and menus 12:00, order. (By the way, there were maybe 4 tables of 2 - 4 people each and only one waitress working the restaurant) 12:05, some sort of chicken broth soup with rice... very bland, not very "Thai". 12:30, our food comes out... well, mine comes out - colleague's 5 min after mine. I had to ask for a to-go box because I couldn't even finish it because 45 min had passed by the time we were about to take the first bite. Plus the waitress was RUDE. VERY RUDE. Never said hi, never asked us for our order... kinda came up to the table and looked at us as if to mentally quip, "you ready to order?" I will NEVER go here to eat again. Plus - a co-worker called in an order to this place... they say "we deliver" but they haven't had a driver in years... not to mention their pad thai that day was made with ketchup. YUCK.
(1)Jacob J.
I've been on a Thai high for the last year or so, so when I see a place that's within my trek, I'll try to find a reason to try it. I'd read over the reviews on Yelp a few times and thought it'd be pretty average but every time I passed through the area the place was packed. I'm talking about weekday afternoons, corporate types and more. The lunch special worked perfect for me and per reviews I usually stayed with the colored curries. For a few weeks I would stop by and have my lunches here. No problem for a person dining solo to sit and enjoy. They have tables that can accommodate singles and or groups. The often waitress / owner would be there fielding questions and taking orders. It was a two woman combo in the dining room waiting on tables, drink refills and service in general. Weekday lunches were always busy and there would be a wait for a table. Best to call ahead or plan your visit. Funny. In one of the photos there is a square plate with floral designs. I've eaten off this plate before both at the restaurant and elsewhere. My Ma has the same Martha Stewart plates available from Target. I will also add that with their two woman combo they do a pretty good job of keeping up with offering a decent level of customer service and clearing of tables as needed. There are larger restaurants with far more employees that fail at this simple feat.
(4)Adri T.
I wish I had read some of the reviews beforehand..but I was hungry and craving some pad thai. I work in the area and so I drive past this area daily. I decided to give it a try to satisfy my pad thai craving...the food was nothing to write home about..(but was to post a review on YELP)first of all, I find the prices to be a bit higher given the portion size but perhaps due to the hotel traffic in the area.. okay don't mind paying a little more if the food is good..I usually like ginger added to the pad thai..and although I have found that most places will add it but charge a fee, there are some that will do so without incurring an extra fee..this one wasn't one of them..they charged $1 more just for a few sprinkles of ginger? No thank you... I went in during the "lunch special" hour but its only for dine in....not sure if this is the norm in most places but a bit annoying nonetheless to not be able to take part of the special if you're on a run and need to go back to the office. Ok fine...so I get to my office and the noodles are a bit too sweet and oily...although the ingredients do look fresh...Ill give them that...it didn't impress me much...im not a fan of overly greasy food....I asked the woman for some hot sauce to go and she only gives me a tiny container...Im Hispanic so I like my food spicy...im sure if I would asked for more..that would've been an extra charge.....this is probably a place to go to when you really don't have other options..otherwise..skip it...
(2)Chris G.
Just thought I should weigh in because our experience has been much more positive than the other reviews that have been posted recently. After trying most places in a 3 mile radius, his has become our go-to takeout place for Thai in Park Ridge. We've only had good experiences here. I particularly like the Rama Curry Noodle dish, but we also like the Tom Kha Soup and Pad See-Eiw.
(4)Kelley S.
Yet another Chicago (Park Ridge) restaurant that is within walking distance of our home. So we have been here more than once, sometimes dining in and sometimes take-out. All treks here have been satisfactory. I find the prices to be very fair, the portion sizes to be decent and the flavors to be as they should be. We are a fan of the green curry (could be a bit spicier, but still good) and the rice. I've also tried quite a few of their noodle dishes and have been pleased. The staff is also friendly and we don't feel bad bringing our young son here even though it is kind of a small location. We will be back, likely many times.
(4)Cristie F.
I love Thai food and I love Golden Elephant. This little hole in the wall near my office has served as a favorite lunch spot for practically my entire office. There have been months when I found myself there once or twice a week. The restaurant is fairly tiny and gets jammed packed at lunch time - so make sure you plan in advance and get there slightly before noon, or after 1:00pm. I'm a huge fan of their Thai fried rice, yellow curry fried rice, and both the red and green curry. I always get my dishes with tofu. It's a personal fave, and it's always crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside - just the way I like it. A couple downsides - they don't deliver during lunch (boo). I swear, I think they would triple their business if they offered delivery! The restaurant is also fairly small, so expect a little bit of a wait if you go at peak times. Keep it up ladies! You have some big fans across the street at U.S. Cell!
(4)D T.
Beware---really check your bill before paying! Went here for lunch with co-workers for a little unplanned Christmas lunch around 1:00. Pad Thai was a little too sweet for my taste. Would have brought my husband in the near future until the fiasco of my tab. All of the lunch items come with your choice of chicken, tofu or vegetables for $7.25. I added shrimp for extra $2.50. Not only was I charged for the dinner at $7.95 (lunch menu is until 3 and we were there at 1) but she charged me for the chicken that's included in dish and the shrimp and debated with me. Had to state the facts and show her the menu several times before it got settled. She explained that she always charges like this, so she has been overcharging everyone? Not cool. Won't be going back here. Should've never gone back. The first time we went there she spilled the soup all over the table. This time they were out of the spring rolls. Will definitely find somewhere else for Thai food.
(2)Lawrence Y.
One of my friends and I stopped by this place during lunch hour the other week and it was just okay - nothing to get too excited about in my opinion. We started off with spring rolls with peanut sauce - was a little bland even with sauce. I ordered the chicken teriyaki lunch special which came out a lot faster than my lunch mate's pad thai (like 10-15 minutes). They should really time things better. The chicken teriyaki was okay - too loaded on veggies. Service was okay (polite) but I just wasn't impressed overall.
(2)T E.
I have been eating here for about three year whenever I am in town. Love the food and the owner is great.
(5)Angela D.
stayed at a hotel across the street & this place was close. There is also a pizzeria close by but we're burnt out on pizza big time... went with my 2 & 3 year olds & the workers were very friendly with them. They got their pics taken, cute. I tried pad thai for the first time. Sauce was sweet, like others had stated but I have no comparison so I don't know what the norm is.. I didn't enjoy it so much when it was fresh, but it tasted better later to me!... Also had potstickers (fried)- gotta say I love when I find a place that serves potstickers- tried them every restaurant we go to & my personal opinion thai places make the best. I think it was chicken filling. more meat then veggies, a ginger flavor & IDK what else- the dipping sauce was salty, sweet- perfect... --just looked at the menu- it was pork! didn't taste like pork to me at all..-- babies had teriyaki chicken. sweet but chicken seemed a little too overcooked. loaded with fresh veggies, unfortunately, it is not easy to get them to eat veggies at all. also small scoop of rice. I asked for to go trays for our leftovers & guess I am spoiled by the chinese places we frequent cause I had to put it in the tray myself. OH THE HORROR! Overall it was nice, i'd rather have thai then pizza. the staff is very friendly. food was good but nothing I'd have to make a trip to go again. if you happen to be staying at the nearby hotel, this is where I'd recommend going.
(3)Julie O.
This is my favorite Thai place near ORD. The food is always served piping hot. The menu is not exotic but has enough options for a flavourful lunch. I tend to order either green curry or Thai fried rice. Prices are reasonable and the lunch entree usually comes with soup. Parking is sketchy but usually available down the side street. Seating is limited, so git is best to get there before noon or after 1pm.
(3)Johnny B.
Awful does not even begin to describe it. First there is the service, or should I say, the lack of it. There was a young Asian lady racing from table to table, looking extremely busy and agitated, but not really doing anything useful. She kept zooming past my table before deciding to stop to get my order. And there's an older matron type woman who looks around with a disapproving look, as if she really hated every customer, but what role she plays I have no idea since she didn't appear to do anything at all. Yet bad service could be compensated by good food. But what good food? The orders come in three types: overcooked, watery and mushy. Nothing tastes good, nothing looks good, nothing tempts your palate. Sure, prices are reasonably low, but a box of ramen is even cheaper, does not taste any worse, and any supermarket cashier is nicer than the women in this joint.
(1)Melanie S.
A friend and I were catching an early show at the nearby Rosemont Theater, but didn't have a lot of time before, so after debating on where to go, we decided to check out Golden Elephant. Situated in a nondescript strip mall on Higgins Avenue, this is a place that if you blinked, you'd miss it. We sat down and started looking over the menu. I wasn't feeling particularly adventurous so I went with some old standbys: spring rolls, satay, and pad woon sen. Spring rolls were good and pretty much tasted like every other spring roll in every other Thai place; satay was good and accompanying peanut sauce and cucumber salad were first rate. The entree portions were huge. Like Old Country Buffet huge. My friend got pad thai and I've never seen a heaping plate like what was served to us. I thought my dish was kind of bland but it was not inoffensive. My friend enjoyed his pad thai but he'll be eating it for the next three days based on the leftovers. Golden Elephant is fine if you're in the area, but nothing worth making a special trip for. Side note: why is there such a dearth of casual dining options in this neck of the woods? It's pretty much Hooter's or The Ram. Double yuck.
(3)Rafael C.
I work nearby and my choices for a close place to grab some Thai food is limited but this place does the trick. The lunch specials for 7 bucks helps make this a lunch time spot for a group of us at the office. The lunch special choices are about a dozen to pick from and includes an app or the soup of the day. The list include some of my favorites but I wish they would include a few more just in case I ever wanted to branch out. However, the service we get is pretty good and the food is solid.
(3)N D.
Was staying at hotel across st, ok in a pinch, better than Outback, friendly staff.
(3)Ben W.
Overall good not great. I've ordered from them for years mainly sticking to the staples like pad Thai, pad se ewe and curries. You can count on your order to be ready doe pick up on the way home from the city. If you are going out dir Thai there may be better places to start the process. They'll get it done but may not impress.
(3)Jean K.
Awful customer service. Food was decent but not worth the attitude. Went for a going away lunch - only 4 of us and they wouldn't let us sit at the table we wanted then proceeded to seat another group there! We ordered, food came out quickly. One of our party's dish didn't come out bcs they were out of it. Why would you wait until everyone's food is out to tell her?! It was a huge ordeal to get them to explain other options - the staff kept walking away while we were talking to them. Skip this place!
(1)Kate A.
Golden Elephant consistently delivers the same good flavor and sauce to noodle ratio which in my opinion, is very important. The location is conveniently located near my office so we order from them often. Dining in isn't usually the most pleasant experience as they are almost always crowded and understaffed. All this said, I think it's a good value for the price and the food quality is consistently good. Just don't expect to be blown away by the service. Also, they're Thai Iced Tea is pretty freakin amazing....
(3)Sylwia M.
I used to love this place and have been going here for years. However, the ownership must have changed because it is not like it used to be. The service is average, shouting to me from across to room to get my order is not professional! The food is still good and one of my favorite Thai places by O'Hare (not that there are many choices). I do wish the would clean their bathrooms. Today I walked in and walked right out, touching any of it was out of the question.
(2)Ash V.
It you are a Thai food enthusiast and want to get your Thai fix, this would not be the place. The food was bland, sweet and oily. There are much better Thai places in other suburbs that you will enjoy. We ordered the Pad Thai, which had no vegetables and tasted like sweet ketchup sauce. I was extremely disappointed, as I expected delicious, cooked noodles and a nice spicy sauce. We also ordered an Panong, a coconut curry with vegetables. Imagine yellow sweet water with a corn based....and some cauliflower and peas. Yea...avoid this place if you love Thai.
(2)Joseph M.
I was never a fan of thai food(hadnt actually given it a chance really) untill my wife ordered from here and i tried a bite. I thought it was pretty good. Then next time she ordered i got an entree. Now, im hooked. I always get the same thing and it is delicious. Steamed pot stickers, fried rice, and garlic oyster sauce with ckn. They are so nice and accomadating. Thank you Golden Elephant!!!
(5)Christy S.
Ok, last night was the second time I've been to this place. The first time I went here, my experience was not good, but I thought I'd give it another try as my husband liked it the first time and wanted Thai. Needless to say, I will not be coming here ever again. The first time we were here about 2 months ago, my husband and I ordered and they brought our appetizers first and then his food came out before mine. He was completely done with his meal (about 15 min) and they came over to tell me that my Beef Salad would be out soon. By the way he loved his Pad See Eiw. I told them, I would pass as we'd like to go, I would have preferred to eat with my husband! They made a huge deal out of it, and didnt want to bring our check! We were getting up and walking to the register, and the lady finally brings out the salad as Im leaving, trying to get me to pay for it! I told her no thank you! Last night our appetizers came out just fine, and my husband had the Pad See Eiw again, which is good. Mine came out with his, I ordered the Panang Curry with rice noodles instead of rice. However what they served as Panang Curry was not what was written on the menu!! I showed her the menu and she kept saying, can't you just eat it? I told her no, I dont want all these other vegetables, they never come in Panang Curry. So I told her I would order Tom Yum soup instead. She brough that out with the tomato I asked her not to include... but I can handle that. She then said take those noodles and put it in your soup, it'll taste good! I informed her, no thank you, I dont like it that way. She left the noodles on the table cold until she brought the check, and sure enough had charged me extra for them. Now the $2 is really nothing, but I was pissed off at this point on principle. So I politely told her, that the $2 she charged me would come out of her tip. NEVER AGAIN! My husband owes me for this one for sure!!!
(2)Nate L.
Small Thai Restaurant located in a strip mall on Higgins and I-90. Ordered Spicy Fried Rice, Pad Thai and so called "Spicy Green Curry" Bleh, they were ok. Not spicy at all, and curry was very runny. All I tasted was coconut milk. Might try it out one more time. But I don't think they will impress me much.
(3)Nirav A.
BY FAR ONE OF THE WORST RESTAURANTS I'VE BEEN TOO! I've never been treated with such rude customer service or with waitresses treating you like you don't belong. It started out with the waitress, who's probably the owner's daughter, coming up to us 15 min after we sat down and stating she didn't want to interrupt our conversation as to why she was late. Then they brought out food, which basically was colored water with stale rice. And finally when it was time to pay, the same waitress who doesn't understand customer service, takes my credit card and somehow manages to lose it behind the counter, dropping it in a pile of junk behind her. She then asks if she can call us later to return my card. And when she found it 10 min later, she blames me for handing it to her poorly. This place should be shut down today if possible.
(1)William K.
I had to walk over from the nearby hotels, but it was worth the effort. The pad thai was non-traditional in my book, but very yummy, and I'll be coming back to try the rest of the menu. The ambiance was very nice and the staff was very friendly.
(5)R H.
Nice Thai restaurant near the O'Hare airport hotels. The prices are medium, but I just loved the quantities they gave. It's better to call ahead since they can take up to 20 minutes to get the food ready. The taste is great. Very nice option if you are staying in the nearby hotels.
(4)Thomas W.
The red curry is delicious! If you are going to go, I recommend hitting up their lunch menu. Small in size, but it pretty much has something for everyone. The staff is all pretty nice, although they get so busy they don't often come around enough...one of the reasons for the 3 stars instead of 4. Also, the place tends to get a bit hot in the summertime...and it is smaller, which doesn't help the problem. If you are that far north near the Park Ridge/Rosemont area, it's a worthwhile stop over for some decently priced, tasty giggity.
(3)Jose C.
We came out here once not too long ago after a coworker who is well-versed in Thai food recommended it. It was very quiet in there. I think we were the only patrons. The food was indeed good, but the main problem was the bugs. We were seated by the window, and the entire windowsill was littered with dead dried insects, mostly flies and small gnats. The windowsill itself looked like it hadn't been wiped down in a long time because it was dusty and dirty. There were also an abundance of live flies flying all over the place, but mostly against the window trying in vain to escape (it was still daylight). I am not squeamish at all, but when trying to eat, it is kind of distracting. So, the food and service was good, and the bug problem was perhaps temporary, but there are better Thai places that are closer to me that I prefer.
(2)Allison O.
Great lunch specials!! Great Pad Thai!!
(3)John W.
I thought the portions were small and the price high for what we got. The Pad Thai also I was not impressed by the taste as well. Also they do not serve booze. There are better choices for Thai very close to this restaurant. Will not be back
(2)Donna R.
I've never eaten in here, but it's close to my office and I get carryout at least once a week. I almost always get the same thing--the Tom Yum vegetable soup. This soup is so delicious. It has the perfect amount of hot to it...a little bit of spice but not too much. It always seems to cure or comfort when I have a cold and at other times it's just plain delicious.
(4)Ross X.
The food was not memorable and the services wasnt that great. I'll give them another chance if someone else wants to go, but im not gonna seek them out.
(2)Laurie Faith G.
The lunch value is exceptional, the place is clean and bright, the food has great flavor and is fresh!
(4)Andrew V.
Good spot for lunch. The pad see ew is really good - plenty of vegetables plus the sauce is nicely flavored and not too overpowering. Haven't explored the rest of the menu much because I'm so fond of this dish, however it seems the people with whom I dine always enjoy their plates as well - curries, rice, and noodle dishes. Service is generally good, but can be hectic if its particularly busy. BYOB. I'm not going to drive out of my way to come here, but a pleasant enough spot and on my rotation in the area.
(3)MaryMary L.
Just grabbed an order of Pad Thai and some fried egg rolls (carry- out). I hadn't been here in a while, and I must say, I'm glad I stopped in. The service was exceptional, the lady on the phone was kind, helpful and my food was ready in just a few minutes. The Pad Thai was great, they must have changed something, because I don't remember it being so good. Another thing which surprised me was the prices, they are very reasonable. I recommend trying this place!!
(4)Suzan W.
I recently found this place (was looking for Thai food in Rosemont as all the other places I have tried were beyond terrible). Today is our second time ordering from them (entire office) and, just as with the first order, everything is very good. No complaints whatsoever.
(4)Sarah M.
i started working in this area not too long ago, and have been working my way through the lunch options. so far dominick's salad bar is the best. :\ this place was awful today. i went once before and it was ok- maybe a 3 star review then. today our party of 4 sat down, and we were 1 of maybe 4 tables occupied. it took 15 minutes to get a waitress to come by to place our order. i ordered the pad thai on the lunch special menu, which did not have prices listed. it also said your entree came with an appetizer or soup, so i tried to order an appetizer with it, and then spent 2 minutes being confused by the waitress who said i'd already eaten my appetizer. apparently the little rice cracker that had been given to all of us when we sat down was my 'lunch special appetizer.' ok fine whatever. everyone else's entrees came out in about 5-10 minutes. my pad thai, which let's be honest is not a crazy-out-there order, took another 10 minutes, so all my coworkers were waiting for mine and watching their food get cold. it finally came out, and it was disgusting! the lifeless noodles and 3 pieces of chicken (which was pretty much all that was on the plate) were sitting in a gross, tasteless gel. i'm convinced that if i let it cool, it could've been a jello mold. oh, did i mention that 'a whole new world' from disney's aladdin was playing on a loop? i wouldn't really classify myself as a food snob...i get goosebumps just thinking of kraft mac & cheese, which now that i think of it, would have been an improvement on what i ate for lunch here. nice try, golden elephant, but i'll stick with dominick's.
(2)Michelle T.
This place is really yummy!! It's a small, brightly lit and well-decorated Thai restaurant that serves medium-priced (for Thai food!) quality Thai cuisine. Good choice if you're in the area and wanting Thai (across from Hooters on Higgins). Their prices are about $1 more/entree than the usual Thai places...but it's def one of the more modern and nicer spots. Free and easy parking on the street. Service is solid. I eat here all the time, and they never disappoint. Get their crab rangoons, and try their curries. All are YUM-O! Highly recommended. Try it out!!
(4)Victoria B.
Sorry, but I was not impressed with this restaurant but then it again it was a ruff night with two uncontrollable hungry kids. I was happy however, that the food was prepared and served quickly. Unfortunately my Pai Thai was very sticky, so much that it was hard to serve my kids. My husband enjoyed his Tom Yum Soup and his dinner of curried veggies with beef. I was so frustrated with my children that I can't even remember what I had ordered but I remember not enjoying it. I actually left it for my husband to eat while I polished his meal off instead. Since they only have tables it was hard to contain the kids so we ate and got out of there pretty fast. I felt bad that the kids were acting up but the staff was really sweet to them. They came to talk to my daughter, gave them some candy and tried to keep them entertained. As for us going back... I don't think so. It's pretty much the only Thai place close to the house but I'd much rather much drive elsewhere for dinner. Maybe it was my mood, maybe the kids, maybe the small tables (I need elbow room when I eat) but I wasn't happy with my visit here.
(2)Jason E.
Stopped here during a layover at O'Hare on my way to Hong Kong. Good green curry, although a bit sweet.
(4)Vern C.
This place is great. Went for lunch on a Saturday....the ginger chicken was great...the drunken noodles was very good...don't know what other reviewers are talking bad...my service was great and the food was delicious...my recommendation is stay away from lunch specials...that goes for any restaurant...
(5)M-Aidan S.
Wow, I'm really surprised to read some of the previous comments were dissapointed. I would say that this is one of good Thai restaurants in Chicago. If you like Tom yam soup, you should try their tom yam soup, the spices really kicked as you drink the soup. You could taste the lemon grass and the lime leaves. The pad thai is rather thick and sticky because the chef used tomato ketchup on it, and that's what makes it tangy. The pad see ew was good, the sauce was really blend in altogether with the rice noodle and the veggies. will go there again and will recommend.
(4)Ben W.
NOT VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY! After more than one conversation, they still insist that their dishes with fish sauce are vegetarian.
(1)Dee W.
Chicago has plenty of Thai places and the ones that I really like are the authentic ones. The tom yum soup was lacking in the usual flavor that I can get at TAC and service was disappointing. When my friend tried to send the soup back, the server looked at us with disgust and refused to take it back. Later on, she said that if she took it back, we'd have to pay extra (never heard of that before) I agree with Leang - the tea tasted a little off and was pretty disappointing. When I mentioned it to the server and asked if we could order something else to drink, the first thing that she said was "You'll have to pay for it" and for some reason, it just bothered me that money and payment had been mentioned twice already. My friend and I were dressed pretty casually but in no means, that casual or bummy. We tried the curry and their red snapper but both were just mediocre. I was going to just give this place two stars until I saw a lot of obvious 'spamming' of reviews on this site. Negative points for spamming my beloved yelp! *edit: ZERO STARS for Nina S who tried to send me a compliment to tell me that my profile picture makes me look like an idiot. What kind of immature people do that? Are we in second grade here?
(1)Tara T.
Today was my second time dining at the Golden Elephant and the food was just as great as the first time! I was introduced by a client in the area and we both agree great Thai food---the location and size are misleading but worth a try! Good lunch specials.
(4)Leang E.
I like this place better than Siam Thai, another Thai restaurant in Park Ridge. This place use to be the Green Kitchen, a Vietnamese Restaurant. The decor is a lot nicer, and it looks like it got a new paint job. It had a little bigger crowd than when it was what it was previously. We were able to get a table for 2 at noon. The Thai tea is not that good. It's got a strange after taste. The Tom Yum soup was good, and so were the Baby Eggrolls. The Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles are decent. It's a good work lunch spot, especially since the service is pretty quick. I wouldn't drive anywhere in Chicago just for this place, but it could be the new Thai work lunch spot.
(3)Vy T.
I don't know how this place stays open and even deserves a 3 stars on Yelp. This was my first and last time at this place. I went here with my friends and we decided to order 3 dishes to share. Let's just say, we got ripped off. The orders were way too small and the food was horrible. The Panang curry was so sweet and watery, there was no way to putting that down my throat. The drunken chicken noodle was so mushy, it was like chunks of dough(instead of noodles) with veggie, barely any chicken....I don't think there was any chicken in there!!!! Lastly, if there is a Thai restaurant that can fail the Pad Thai, which you can't, that would be this place. WHile the noodles in the drunken noodles were over cooked, well, the noodles for the Pad THai were undercooked, there were no beans sprouts, tofu...just a couple pieces of burned eggs scramble and like 5 pieces of thinly sliced chicken. I was pretty mad. Not only for what I have to pay for 3 horrible tasting dishes, I wasted my stomach space for this horrible food. let's just say, I will never be back.
(1)Cletus T.
I want to give more stars but the service at the Golden E. prevents it. When I have been off-rush hours, it can still be oddly uncoordinated. I always go with 1-2 others and it seems like each time, 1 or 2 of us has his/her order tabled with a 4-10 minute gap before the rest of our orders is ready. We'd ideally like to eat semi-together, but this place seems to have trouble with that notion. That said - the quality of everything I have ever had there is TOP NOTCH and so if they ever get the service thing fixed, they will have to pass a law to keep me from being in there every day with whoever I can drag along. The food is AWESOME.
(2)Kelsey M.
I'm also very surprised. Might I say shocked! I've always found this place to be great. So much so, that I pick it up after work and bring it back to the city for friends. The pad thai is so flavorful. The food is clean and fresh. The service is just alright, but I really don't go to places like this to be wowed by the service. The lunch specials are reasonable and they definitely do not lack on the portions. I've tried a lot of Thai places, many of them I chose to never go back, but this one is number one in my lineup.
(5)Brian C.
I really enjoyed Golden Elephant, and would put it up against most any other Thai restaurant I have been to in the area. The table shared three entrees and loved each of them. Judging by the delicious sweetness of the gravy they probably weren't the healthiest for you, but heck, we were eating out. We ordered the Pad See-ew with crispy noodles, which was a change for me, but a welcome one. We had some minor communications issues with the waitress, but I think that was mostly due to three different people trying to order for the table and excessive background noise. I will surely stop by again next time I need to meet someone staying out by the airport.
(4)Erica S.
I went here with my dear friend and ordered the Green Curry and she had Guree I found a cockroach in my food and my friend jokingly said were is mine I feel cheated as she said that she found a worm in her lettuce. They tried to charge us for our food. We refused to pay and told the table of 7 girls across the room to be aware of critters in there food I will NEVER go here again.... THE GREEN ELEPHANT ON HIGGINS NEAR ROSEMONT......
(1)Therron R.
Nice atmosphere, but bad service. This is a chic looking Thai restaurant serving all the regular Thai foods you would expect. The atmosphere is modern with technoesque music, and water is served in stemmed glasses. We came in around 9:30, and even though they closed at 10pm they were still happy to seat us. The real turn off was a dry sticky table that wasn't cleaned properly. When we asked for a wet towel the server brought back dry napkins to wipe with...didn't work very well. She was rather unfriendly, and made us move to another table. In the end we just left before ordering because there was a serious breakdown in communication. Maybe we will come back sometime, and try the food, but seriously there are plenty of other Thai restaurants that serve the same thing, with better service.
(3)steve c.
What makes it a "healthy" Thai place I am not so sure, but the food is good. They have jacked up the prices here and are now WAY overpriced. It seems to get worse everytime I go. Only place in the city where the thai iced tea is weak. Nice design and small. Service can be slow. It is also hard to find this place as it isn't advertised anywhere
(2)Efrain F.
This place has pretty good food. I've never eaten in the restaurant but have had their take-out several times. I like their pad thai noodles and their drunken noodles as well. The spring rolls are a bit inconsistent. The first couple of times I had them they were good. The last time I had them they were quite disgusting. The decor is nice and they have a wall of customer pictures by the entrance. If you are planning on eating there, it's BYOB.
(3)jason t.
after eating here, i was really surprised to come on and see so many negative reviews. the place looks really unassuming from outside, but still better than all the crappy chain restaurants in the area. inside i was very impressed with the food, large portions of everything and all the ingredients used were super fresh. i ordered a small tom kha and a beef salad, both simple dishes, and both of which are very simple to screw up. the small soup was actually pretty damn big (and delicious), and the salad was just perfect. i would definitely go back if i was ever in the area again.
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