The food here is so flavorful. I am a big fan of getting a curry and a fried rice and eating them together. Red curry and Thai fried rice are my favorite combination. When you tell them you want your food spicy, they take you seriously and make it however you like. The wine selection is average but they have a decent Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay. They both pair well with the spicy food. I've been going here for about a year and a half now and the business here is picking up. This hasn't slowed the service down. This is my go to Thai restaurant..
(4)
David W.
Yikes, we were in the Clayton area and craving Thai so we got to try this place out. Unfortunately, this place just isn't good enough to warrant another trip. It's a nicer place, higher class and pretty good date night spot, dimmer lights quieter atmosphere. Service was good, water always stayed high and stuff. I got to try their Pad Thai, Pad See-Ew, and Cashew Shrimp Their Pad Thai was undercooked it seemed. The taste was alright but the portions were extremely small for the price. The noodles itself were chewy and seemed undercooked, but maybe that is just their own style. The Pad See-Ew had a very big soy-sauce flavor. So, I guess if you are a pretty big soy-sauce fan, you might like this dish; I think it was quite overpowering but thats just me. The Cashew Shrimp was the best thing I got to try there. It had a lot of veggies, shrimp, and cashews, with a spicy, salty sauce that you would eat with rice. Portions were mediocre, but it was quite pricey, I paid around 20 dollars after tip. In the end, unfortunately I would go elsewhere if you want Thai food.
(3)
Tim D.
A very nice cosy Thai restaurant. Had a family get-together and the service was superb. Our waitress was friend, helpful and attentive. Our food had excellent flavors and the menu while small covered many of the Thai meals we all enjoy. The ingredients were fresh and excellent quality. They have adapted the "heat" ratings to suit the general population who are not used to true Thai heat in the dishes. The highest rated heat offered was mild to what I am used to, they gave me a nice side dish of fresh chili which brought the heat up!! Please do not confuse "heat" with flavor, as the food flavors were excellent. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Megan Rose R.
I've lived in STL my whole life and just recently moved to U City... holy Asian food heaven! I was pretty dang stoked to see all the positive reviews for a Thai place that delivered... mostly because I was suffering from an alcohol induced coma and leaving the house was absolutely NOT an option. Detox = Delivery Let me point out, I'll eat pretty much anything that has a business model of preparing, packing up, driving and walking all the way to my door step to ring my door/dinner bell. That being said, I regret the .43 calories I wasted on getting up and opening that "door to disappointment" last night... let alone the $20+ bucks I shelled out (I'm poor, shut up). I ordered the Crispy Eggs Rolls... okay, I know it's not super adventurous but I tend to be a creature of habit when in autopilot hangover mode. Nothing special but it's kinda like ordering Jack in the Box tacos... you know they can't mess it up. Then the Pad Thai (sans tofu)... blah. No spice, no texture, lifeless. Don't get me wrong, I ate it... all... within 2 episodes of Game of Thrones. But only because there are thousands of Unsullied starving somewhere. Next time, I'll stick with pizza... for The Old Gods and The New.
(2)
Beck E.
Oh, thank goodness, there's decent Thai food in St. Louis. Finally got the chance to stop by last night for dinner and ordered the Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles) Woosen (glass noodles). My friend warned me that "spicy" here actually means spicy and that he could barely tolerated a 4 on their scale of 1 to 5... so of course I had to order a 4. :) It packed some heat while still being enjoyable, and it helped that the noodles were very flavorful. I got a generous portion of beef, too. The 5 maybe would not have been enjoyable unless I was really looking to be miserable, but I think spicy fans would not be disappointed. The price and portions were right too. Definitely a fan! I hope to return to try several more items. Maybe then I'll bump this rating up to a 5.
(4)
B W.
A+ FOOD, C+ ATMOSPHERE Here is the thing about this restaurant - it never caught on the way it should have. I think the Thai food is absolutely wonderful, and the pad thai rivals any of the others around. The reason I don't go as often is that often times, you'll find that you are the only one in the restaurant. It takes away from the vibe a bit when the people running it are entertaining their bored children in the corner of the restaurant because there's not all that much going on. Still, I don't know that there's a Thai restaurant that beats it! THE SNOWBIRD DUMPLINGS ARE INSANE. Also, did you know they DELIVER? Far distances, too.
(4)
Hoogaelric T.
Buggy water: They served me a glass of ice water refill --- with a dead bug in it. They must have seen that we did not order any nourishing snacks and gifted us this supplementary bug protein water. Nice treat. I certainly wouldn't miss such rare occurrence and took a few pictures. Too bad that I forgot to take pictures of their kitchen and how they processed ingredients. Please do not be deceived by the cosmetically clean and well presented dishes, and be aware of the unhygienic food.
(2)
Luke M.
Average Thai food with slow service. I had the stereotypical chicken of Thai and it was ok. Pretty bland and rather slimy. The egg drop soup had a nasty consistency to it that reminded me of jello. Only good thing was the price of lunch. I doubt I'll be back as there are plenty of better Thai options in the STL area!
(2)
Sarah L.
Thai food is my absolute favorite! I was excited to try this place and left feeling quite satisfied after a good meal. I came here for a party of about 20 people (they were awesome and accommodated us all, however they did not split us off from the other restaurant guests so I have to imagine that was kind of annoying to the others in the restaurant). They offer all of your favorite Thai dishes! For appetizers we had spring rolls and the snowbird dumplings which were adorably shaped like little ducks, but then stuffed with chicken...! For dinner, I tried the Pad Thai and Red Curry, both were very good - I think they made them a little mild since we were a group, my personal preference would have been a bit spicier! For dessert, we had mango and sticky rice, yum! Overall, great food and good service considering we were a large party! I'll be back!
(4)
Brian B.
Very good Thai food, this place has been in downtown Clayton for a long time. I have been here many times for lunch and recently went for dinner on a weekend night. I always thought of this as mainly a lunch place for the Clayton work crowd, but the dinner experience was just as enjoyable. I had the Pad Thai and ordered it extra spicy. It met expectations as it was right at my comfort level of spiciness and was delicious. We also had the spring rolls and fried vegetable rolls and all were excellent. I did notice that their lunch menu has more options for vegetarians. Not sure what is going to happen to this block in Clayton (there is new development proposed), but I hope Blue Elephant remains in Clayton!
(4)
Tae S.
Horrible food. Weird decor. Worst thai food in st louis!! The spring roll came out soaked in sauce. The outer coat was neither crispy nor soft. The inside was luke warm and gross. There was ketchup next to the rolls!! Who eats ketchup w their spring rolls????
(1)
DeAnne P.
Yikes! There are few times a 1-star is deserving, however getting sick is one of them. Walking in for takeout, I asked the nice man behind the counter what dish would have no eggs, no meat, and no dairy - what dishes are vegan. He suggested vegan pad thai. When we got home not only did the dish have eggs but it had meat - my body got sick immediately. And most importantly, I also observed a young woman in the dirty alley behind Blue Elephant prepping (trimming) their raw chicken outside with no gloves - food poisoning waiting to happen. Yuck!
(1)
Jackson T.
I went here with my girlfriend, I ordered the duck with yellow curry and she ordered some kind of beef curry. We ordered krabrangoons and dumplings for appetizers. The presentation of the dishes were amazing! Five stars on that. The food tasted great as well! Five stars. Service was excellent. The decor was interesting...sort of a contemporary french tiki bar kind of thing.
(5)
Mallory G.
Blue elephant is definitely up there on my favorite Thai places. It is classier, a little more expensive but they have linen napkins so.... What do you expect? The food here is pretty good, they actually make things somewhat spicy when you say "Thai spicy". Wish it was a little cheaper, and the portions were a bit bigger. Good date spot.
(4)
Mira K.
The food was pretty good, the prices ok, but really bad service. We got the red curry with chicken and the pad see-u. I substituted brown rice for an extra dollar and it was just a little ice cream scoop of rice. We watched the waitress go to all the other tables and stay in the back for awhile before even taking our drink order. We waved her down eventually and she took another five minutes to come over and take our order.
(3)
Liv C.
Blue Elephant is everything you want a Thai restaurant to be. The environment is clean and nice. Our waiter was sweet and attentive, without being annoying. The prices are reasonable. Most importantly, the food is delicious. Last night, we ordered the Siamese dumplings and loved their meaty, peanuty, garlicky goodness. We shared the panang curry and the roast duck curry and were pleased with them both. Each was spicy, but not uncomfortable. The presentation at Blue Elephant really stands out-the plates are decorated beautifully. I live in Tampa and eat a lot of Thai back home, but Blue Elephant is special enough to always want to visit when I'm in town.
Had a recent weekend night dinner here and surprisingly the place was empty. It's in the heart of Clayton, great service, pretty nice interior including white linens on the tables...the menu has a good selection, some pretty good red wine by the glass options and bubbly options. I had pad thai and it was as good as any place in STL. I/we don't mind quiet so I guess I won't complain that this is a secret or something?
(4)
Rob E.
The Pad Kee Mao Woonsen is amazing!! Be forewarned that it's a spicy, but delicious dish. I'm in St. Louis periodically on business and I always make a point of stopping in for a delicious meal.
(5)
Nicole L.
Love, love, love this place! My boyfriend and I get something different every time! The appetizers are great for sharing. Portion sizes are large and plenty! The presentation is remarkable - they create veggie flowers and animals snowbird dumpling. All the curries are also unbelievable flavor!!!
(5)
Amber W.
This place was a little on the small side, but the decor was really pretty. The lights were a little dim, but it added a softness to the restaurant. I went here with my boyfriend, my best friend, and her boyfriend. I've learned that I like to eat family-style when eating Thai food, but this time we all ordered our own dishes. I ordered the Pad See Ew, which was really yummy. It was slightly sweet, which was sort of odd, but I liked that it had plenty of liquid, rather than being gummy. My boyfriend ordered the Pad Thai, with a spice level of 4, which can sometimes be too spicy for some, but my boyfriend and I both like spicy food, so he enjoyed it, and when I tried it, it was yummy. I would've probably ordered a 3 for myself. My best friend's boyfriend ordered an order of Spring rolls to share, and they were super yummy. Crisp and delicious.
(4)
Aimee K.
Second times the charm! I found three dynamite menu items that I'll be ordering forever and ever amen. They are: -The crab rangoon (best I've ever had) -Pad thai (not as good as King & I, but close, and full of chopped peanuts and tofu) -Red curry! I'm usually a yellow curry fan, but wow the red curry here is good. Get it with chicken, and enjoy all of the vegetables doused in red curry sauce. It also tasted much better with white rice as opposed to brown. The same nice guy delivered my food, and I'm actually wishing I didn't find out that the items listed above are awesome, because it means I will probably be eating a lot more Thai food on my couch. So far I'm really satisfied with Blue Elephant. Try it the next time you're lazy and hungry!
(4)
Brian H.
Amazing curry and super cold beer. I've been to Thailand and this place is legit. Well done I would return any time.
(5)
Sanjeev T.
Fantastic, just watch out for the spice. Very tasty food for sure.
(5)
Veronica S.
The yellow curry here is amazing!!!! One order easily makes two meals.... If you can manage to resist eating it all in one sitting. The dumplings are great, too! I don't live around here but I will definitely have this again next time I'm in town.
(5)
Janet G.
First time here and was enchanted. My friend and I were actually going to wait 45+minutes for a Different Pasta/pizza venue. We decided to walk to the starbucks near by ((that was another story: the girl working there was ruuude. They must have been about to close and she was tired, still no reason to be attitude missy!)) As we are walking we pass Blue Elephant, it looks empty only two tables being used. The outside doesnt look fancy, but it looks okay. I have a gut feeling ;) and tell my friend to consider this place. We walk inside and immediately the whole picture changes. It looks charming, the staff immediately recognizes us and leads us to a table. They didnt even fuss about the fact that we had starbucks coffee cups with us. My friend Ordered: Pad thai which received an approval rating. I ordered: fried spring rolls with peach sauce as an app and they were goood. Entree: I believe it was the Pad Kee Mao. Thin noodles in peanut sauce, with bean sprouts, green and red bell peppers, onions, egg, with tofu. It was delicious! I ordered more peanut sauce to mild the spicy. The atmosphere was calm and relaxing. There was soft classical music playing. Perfect. We couldn't stop talking about how glad we were to have found it. It beat by much, or other plan of waiting for the other busy, loud, expensive, place. For everything we ordered we only paid total $25 and a few cents + tip. I believe this is a good price for good food!
(4)
Jake M.
I've eaten here twice with one time being a delivery and have been very satisfied both times. The snowbird dumplings are excellent and their curry had just the right mix of sweet and spicy. The wait staff is very courteous and the restaurant was nice and clean with a quiet dining room. Only critique I would have is a more imaginative selection of adult beverages but that is a minor detail.
(4)
Michael G.
In Downtown Clayton. for a late dinner on Memorial Day. We called ahead and they were happy to hear from us, even though it was late in the evening. We arrived about 30 minutes to closing. Thai is fast anyway and they served us fast, with a smile. The food is outstanding. The service too. They started to clean up around us, but were still pleasant. This is one great Thai; I'm sure you may not do better, and you could always do worse. We were more than satisfied with the quality and the pricing. Check them out. They have a new location in CWE, (different name I think).
(4)
Nicole S.
Best yellow curry! Has so much flavor! Very spicy, but you can ask for it mild. Siamese dumplings are also really good.
(5)
Stephanie R.
I would say this is the most "high quality" Thai place in St. Louis. My favorite dish here is the Emerald Chicken. It is absolutely delicious! Chicken with spinach and peanut sauce and wasabi peas over rice. It's a great combo! Also the Snowbird dumplings are a fun appetizer since they look like birds. :)
(4)
Amanda K.
Since my first stop at Blue Elephant was phenomenal, I was hoping a second stop would be just as good but it ended up being pretty disappointing. My boyfriend, Alex, and I came here on a Friday night a few months back craving some more delicious Asian food. Seeing that it was a Friday night at prime "going out to eat" time (around 7:30 PM) we expected there to be somewhat of a crowd but we were actually the only people in the restaurant! This definitely took away from the ambiance because it seemed as though they failed a heath inspection or something and we were the only ones that missed out on the news. I am not sure if being the only ones in their made us feel awkward or what, but the food just didn't wow us like it did the first time. We ordered the chicken coconut soup we got on our first visit, an order of spring rolls, and pad sa ew. The chicken soup was still pretty tasty (although not quite as good as the first time), the wrapper on the spring rolls had an off texture and the whole thing was just kind of flavorless, and the pad saw ew was good. All in all, it was just disappointing and will prevent me from making a third visit. There are too many other Asian places to visit in St. Louis so one bad meal will steer me away.
(3)
Lorraine N.
I got take out and ordered by phone so I cannot comment on the ambiance of this place. I'm judging solely on the quality of food. I called and expressed interest in a chicken dish with veggies. I did not see what I wanted on the menu so they improvised and assured me they could make something like what I wanted. It was okay but not what I was thinking. I ate every last bite still and thought the chicken was prepared in an excellent fashion. I believe I will get pad Thai next time as I am still discovering what Thai inspired food is all about...but so far like all I have sampled.
(3)
Elizabeth M.
I absolutely love Blue Elephant! It's definitely my favortie place to go in St. Louis. Half the time I go I get the Pad Thai - it's delicious. :) I also like that it is good for all occasions - dates, nights out with friends, and even delivery! (a little pricey for a college student, but it's so worth it)
(5)
Aditi M.
Very good place with great food.!
(5)
Hao X.
My lab came here for lunch. I thought it was only ok. I got the green curry with beef lunch special. It was described as popular and spicy. It came with either salad or wontons. I chose wontons. The wontons were deep fried and ok. Small, bite size, not too much flavor. I looked at the salads that were served around the table. It looked boring with way too much dressing. I didn't find either things very appetizing. I'm not really sure why the green curry was popular. It wasn't very spicy and the sauce was just meh. The beef was tender but not very flavorful. I ended up mixing all my food together to eat it all. It wasn't bad, but I've had much much better. I don't think I'd choose to come here again.
(3)
Annie K.
So, after hearing wonderful things about this place for almost 8 years now, I finally got around to trying this place. And I concur! It is great! Definitely beats the Thai places in the loop hands down. I got the Pad Kee Mao with chicken. I was a little disappointed when it came out because I was expecting flat glass noodles but instead they were thin glass noodles (not specified on the menu) However, after the first bite, I got over that real fast. The chicken in the noodles was extremely tender (unlike the rubberized chicken you get at Thai Country Cafe et al) and they really made it spicy per my request. I'm always unsure at a new place if they really will make things spicy enough for me.. no worries here. The boy was sweating after a few bites ... lol.. weak. Really loved the basil flavor as well. He got the Roasted Duck Curry. He loved it. I thought it was ok..and pricey at $19. The curry did seem a little watered down/not as creamy as say, King and I's curries. The duck was extremely tender as well and was really interesting as I had never had duck + curry. This seems ridiculous to say.. but their white rice that comes with the curry is SO GOOD! Wayyyy better than the rice you get with Chinese take out. But, take note that they will charge you if you ask for a second bowl of rice .. I think it was around $1.50. Glad to say I've tried this place now and will be coming back next time I get a Thai craving. =]
(4)
Charlotte G.
This place has great Thai classics but is pricey, if you're looking for quality Thai for less $ then I suggest Fork and Stix near Delmar. Blue Elephant is definitely better suited to a more formal sit-down dinner.
(3)
Jacqueline C.
Snow bird dumplings might be worth the visit, everything else was basic and nothing that made me too over the edge excited. The curry was standard and almost lacking that deep rich flavor in most curry dishes. The price is a bit high for what you are getting. Pad Thai is good but nothing to rave about.
(3)
Aaron W.
4 STARS WITH A FEW RESERVATIONS.... Dined here last night with friends for the first time. The food was great, unfortunately, there were a few distracting features that's really holding this place back. Ok, back to the food! We tried the snow birds and crab rangoon to start with. The snow birds, although beautiful, were lacking in flavor. The sauce placed in beads around the plate tasted more like catsup than anything. The seasoned chicken was bland and slightly dry. The rangoon filling was tasty and on the sweet side, served with a variation of plum sauce on the side. Upon opening, I actually saw a hint on "crab" which you usually fail to find in an asian place (though it was "krab stick" most likely, considering the price). Entrees: BEST DISH ON THE MENU: 5 spiced duck! It was amazing!! If you go...get it!. I will be back for that dish alone! The pad thai was good (but mine is better!). Chicken panang was a beautiful blend of sweet and spicy. The beef dish with bell peppers was very tasty and the beef melted in our mouths! Healthy choice fried rice tasted great, it did seem very moist, which made me question the amount of oil they added, but I can't be sure? Ok, on to my RESERVATIONS: Fruit Flies!! I killed two of them while sitting at the table, with one or two more I couldn't get! Completely unappetizing to say the least. Second, the bathroom! The front of the restaurant looks great but as you make you way back to use the restroom, the door is coated in a dark grey grime. It needed to be cleaned, or just painted to say the least! Come on! And once inside, the ceiling tiles are stained dark brown from water damage that has occurred in the past. It definitely makes you question their food handling practice (if that's how comfortable they are leaving their restroom)?? Bottom line, CLEAN UP YOUR BATHROOM, REMOVE THE FRUIT FLIES, AND YOU'RE A 5 STAR THAI RESTAURANT!!
(4)
Danielle M.
I blame my anxiety of driving and parking new places on the fact it took so long to try this place. Shame on me, because this is the first Thai place I've found in St. Louis that I actually really like! (And the parking and driving situation wasn't even all that bad.) Entrees are definitely a little more expensive than your average corner Chinese place - but it's worth it, and you can tell in the quality of ingredients. Actual tender pieces of chicken, flavorful sauces, minimal greasy-ness - and still enough to have leftovers the next day. A new favorite in Clayton!
(5)
Michelle H.
This was hands down THE WORST Thai food I have ever had (and I've eaten a lot of Thai over the years). As soon as I entered the place, it smelled like a toilet was backed up or sewage. I was hoping the food would make up for the smell, but it was just as bad, if not worse. I had the Pad Kee Mao and it was very bland. It's supposed to be spicy! And the beef was "shredded" (a first that I've ever seen). Service was good, but overall, I was VERY disappointed. I will not be going back.
(1)
Jen C.
Best Thai dinner in a long time! We ordered takeout on a Wednesday night near 9 pm and it was amazing. The yellow curry was fresh, vegetables crunchy and full of flavor. The spring rolls were great and the beef noodles were awesome. We have been here several times but this was off charts great!
(5)
William B.
The chicken tastes like a shoe
(1)
Leslie S.
Very good food, decent service. I would agree that prices are a little higher here even though food quality didn't seem much higher than cheap Thai places. I believe you're paying for atmosphere and food presentation. All the same, I would definitely come back.
(3)
Keith D.
Unlike some other Yelper's we didn't have a five or four-star experience. Here's the best things I can say. The service was very good and the Snowbird Dumplings were amazing. My wife made me take a picture before we ate it. Raya K. was spot on with her review comment when she said they were "almost too beautiful to eat...almost." I had the red curry chicken that has just enough heat without an overpowering amount of curry flavor. Very balanced. The only reason I'm not giving them a four-star rating is the Pad Thai was not very good. FIrst, there were no chopped peanuts as advertised and the noodles just didn't taste very fresh. It didn't have the flavors you would expect from a Thai dish. Would I go back...yes. Will I make a beeline to return...no.
(3)
Carole M.
Crab rangoon was a step above normal. So was the chicken red curry. I asked them to tone down the spice and it was perfect -- a bit of a kick but not scorching. Fresh veggies and meat.
(4)
E C.
Great service, accommodating for my friend's peanut allergy, and patient! Especially loved their signature snowbird dumplings, and the red curry had a nice spicy afternote!
Good little Thai restaurant a couple blocks from the Sheraton. It's a nice quiet and relaxing atmosphere. We went on a Friday night and had the padsee-U and the red chicken curry which were both delicious. The flavors were perfectly balanced and lots of veggies and enough rice for the both of us to share. The staff was great and prompt (wish she could smile a bit more). The food came out in no time! And the price of the meal was about right for a Thai restaurant in a nice area.
(4)
Karen G.
My review is based solely on a delivery experience. I don't expect food delivered to my house to be quite as good as if it was served piping hot in the restaurant. Still, I was pretty disappointed with the 2 dishes I tried. I got the Yellow Chicken Curry...and it was ok but the chicken was dry and lacked flavor. The potatoes were also just bland pieces. The sauce was good...and I could eat it just for the sauce, but I expect more. I also ordered the Cinnamon Pork and it was really disappointing. I really couldn't taste the cinnamon and the pork was blah. I did like the sauce that was over the broccoli and carrots. And prices are what you would expect in Clayton...high...but I expect top notch food when I pay more. I probably won't try it again. There are just better options out there.
(3)
David L.
spring rolls are horrible. papaya salad is even worse. i would give half a star if i can . this is not thai food...
(1)
Anna S.
My personal favorite was the penang curry, however they really limited our rice. We maybe got 1 cup total the whole time for 4 people. It was nuts!!! How much does a cup of brown rice cost? really???
(3)
Amy B.
Another place that delivers to my house, oh yes! I'm sorry but I'm a sucker for delivery. Anywhere that allows me to stay in my pj's with my husband, puppy, and a warm fire..well, they might win me over pretty quickly! The other night was my first experience with Blue Elephant and my husband and I both enjoyed it very much! We ordered the crab rangoon, the snowbird dumplings, and pad thai. The Crab Rangoon was by far the best I can ever remember having. It says it comes with sweet and sour sauce, and I don't doubt it, but this was unlike any other sweet and sour sauce I've ever had! Delicious! I had read about the Snowbird Dumplings but didn't know that my husband had actually ordered them! They were so cute and really come shaped as snowbirds! They weren't as spicy as I thought they would be, which actually worked well for me because I don't do well with spicy food. They too came with a mystery sauce that was perfect to dip the dumplings in! The pad thai was good but I would call it bland. Next time I will be asking for extra lime and most likely have crushed red pepper on hand. All in all it was a really good dinner, and I'm sure it will become one of our top delivery places!
(4)
Stephanie S.
Let me set the scene for you. It's a cold Saturday night, and after spending much of the day running errands, socializing, and pretty much being awesome, I was wiped out. I didn't feel like cooking dinner. I didn't even feel like leaving the house to go out to dinner at a restaurant. Get this: I was SO LAZY, I didn't even feel like hitting up the drive through. Yep, I was having one of those lazy nights where all I wanted to do was snuggle my cat, watch reruns of How I Met Your Mother, and pay someone to deliver food to my door. Blue Elephant to the rescue! I was in Clayton earlier that day around lunchtime, and while I wasn't able to dine in for lunch (they were closed), I saw that they had dinner hours. I wasn't sure if they'd deliver all the way to Maplewood, but after reading Karen G's review about how they delivered to her house in UCity, I figured it was worth a shot. I called and learned that they do, in fact, deliver to Maplewood! Success. I placed an order for duck curry and an order of crispy egg rolls. The grand total? $28, not including tip. Jesus Christ Superstar...this better be some good shit. About an hour later, the order arrives at my door. It's piping hot! I immediately dig into the crispy egg rolls. They're tiny little things (about the width of a fat cigar), and the order comes with 4. They're paired with a sweet orange colored dipping sauce. I enjoyed them. Now for the main event. The duck curry. I read in Allan C's review that the duck was boneless, which was a huge selling point for me. Honestly? I'm not sure how I feel about this. The duck pieces were large, but fatty and a little...gristly? I kept pulling little bits of inedible ickiness out of my mouth while I was eating this. Lovely visual, I know. It's a good thing no one was there to witness this but my cat. In addition, I wasn't a fan of all of the (what I'm assuming were) bamboo shoots in this dish. Ew. It was almost impossible to eat around these things! Blech. On a happier note, the rice and sauce were delicious. I almost want to bake up some tofu, serve it over rice, and pour this delicious sauce over it. Or maybe I could just drink the sauce plain. Do you think if I called Blue Elephant and asked them for a vat of duck curry sauce, they would provide enough for me to bathe in it? Challenge accepted.
(3)
Steph C.
I am very picky when it comes to Thai food so when we were visiting friends in St. Louis I was skeptical and even threw out some other suggestions instead of this place. I am so glad they insisted we eat at the Blue Elephant because it left a lasting impression on us. This place is Delicious!!!!! Everything is super fresh and the way they present the food is so beautiful! We each ordered something and tried a little of everything. The chicken satay has the best peanut sauce and a lovely little cucumber salad. I got to try the Snowbird dumplings which look like little birds filled with a delicious chicken mixture. The red chicken curry was wonderful too. Well our friends moved so now I have visions of going out to St. Louis just to be able to eat here again!!!
(5)
Mark R.
I enjoyed my plate. I had one of the curries. It was adequately spicy and was plenty to fill me up! My friend had a non-spicy noodle dish with shrimp. She said it was too sweet and didn't feel like finishing it. The chicken dumplings that have the unique shape were very tasty, but incredibly overpriced for just 5 of them. Cheaper prices, and probably better food at The King and I.
(3)
Allan C.
Roast Duck Curry. It's BONELESS! Seriously, I never expect any roast duck anything to be boneless and still taste good. It almost never happens. That's all I'd really need from this place. The lamb is good, the pad thai was my favorite until I tried Simply Thai and Pearl Cafe, and the pad see euw is solid as well. However, every time I don't get the roast duck curry, I find myself regretting it. This place just has dishes that you don't often see at the other Thai places in town. That alone makes it worth trekking out to.... and try the Roast Duck curry.
(4)
Jon T.
We took our Groupon to Blue Elephant for a Saturday evening dinner. We arrived about 6:45 and the place was nearly deserted which gave me some concern for the survival of the place, but it filled up a little over half by the time we left. It is a small place in Clayton with about 15 tables. Our experience was fine. I might give a slight nod to Addie's Thai or Thai Sawadee but if I lived closer this would provide a serviceable Thai fix. I am absolutely no expert on Thai cuisine. They were out of the Shumai that night so we changed to the Siamese Dumplings. These were very delicate, filled with a little meat, served on lettuce with some crushed peanuts. They were very good. I would have liked a little dipping sauce with them. I had the Thai Hot and Sour soup. It had some very tasty shrimp and mushrooms. The 'shrooms were not wood ears as advertized, they were canned, sliced button mushrooms. They were fun to eat due to the rubbery texture, but not very flavorful as fresh wood ears would have been. I loved the broth, tangy with lime and richened with coconut milk. It was good to the last drop. It was not spicy hot however, so for those who don't eat heat, it would be OK. Ms T had her obligatory Pad See You. It had plenty of noodles and chicken and good hot wok flavor. Ms T would have liked a little more broccoli. I had the Pad Prik Beef. I ordered it extra hot and it was pleasantly hot, but not really hot. I ordered this because I wanted to avoid the dishes that can be very sweet. The beef was a little solid, but again it was OK. It had a good quantity of bell peppers and onions. I would certainly go back if we did not have two good Thai places close to home.
(3)
Doug M.
Another Wednesday in Clayton, another restaurant to try for lunch. (I've been in Clayton most Wednesdays since late September, thru early January). This time, Blue Elephant made the cut. This is a pretty unassuming place, really just a storefront serving as a restuarant. Decor is modest, even a bit dated. But the atmosphere is quiet and relaxed. And service was prompt and pleasant. Since this was lunchtime, I didn't have opportunity to try anything special. Blue Elephant has a lunch menu that is pretty limited. Primarily rice/noodles, Thai curry, or stir fry. Now, I don't eat Thai very often, and when I do it is usually the Thai curry. However, this time, I thought I'd give the pad Thai a shot. It came with salad, but the waitress asked if I wanted salad or miso soup. I chose the soup, since it would be a light accompaniment to the pad Thai. Soup was decent. It had a light to medium-strength flavor, with a generous amount of small diced tofu and spinach (?) leaf squares. Had I realized it came with the tofu, though, I probably would not have ordered tofu for my "meat" in the pad Thai. Anyway, when the pad Thai came, it was a generous portion, attractively presented. Noodles were just right, not too sticky, not too oily, not too hard, not too mushy. Tofu squares were generous, as in the soup, and seemed freshly seared. There was a lot of egg, too, which was surprisingly flavorful - kudos for this. However, and I didn't realize this until later in the day, I didn't notice any peanuts at all! Not sure what to think of this - were they just finely chopped, did I simply not notice, or do they not include it as another review noted? It is on the menu description, after all. Cost for my lunch - pad Thai with soup - was $8. Not bad for the portion. Both the soup and the entree came out quickly, which is great when you want to graba relatively quick lunch at a sit down place, but don't just want a sandwich. The limited menu probably helps this quite a bit. I say give it a try, at least for lunch. It's not fancy, but it's quick, relaxed, and left me satisfied.
(3)
Neal C.
Two places I will go to eat Thai food in St. Louis King and I and Blue Elephant. Fresh ingredient.. One of very few Thai places where the meat didn't smell funky and old. Order the duck curry and a noodle dish(sorry, forgot the name). The duck curry was very delicious with decent amount of duck and fresh vegetables/pineapples. The noodle dish had fresh basil which added another delicious layer of flavor. The white rice they served was moist, fresh, and sticky, just like what Asian rice supposed to be. Despite having fancy decors, the owner or the worker talked loudly on her phone while folding napkins. Guess I shouldn't be surprised. Con: pricey, they even charge $1.50 for extra rice!! Fruit flies!!! flying around our dishes... eww!! Will go back to try other dishes. Highly recommended if you can overlook the price and fruit flies. :D Happy Eating!
(4)
Raya K.
After my last visit to the Blue Elephant, I was quite a bit more impressed with the food than previous times. Maybe I am just not a fan of their noodle dishes (pad thai and pad kee mao), but the basil chicken I had last week was a welcomed surprise. I requested some extra heat to the dish and they delivered! The snowbird dumplings are incredibly beautiful. Almost too beautiful to eat...almost. It could be that most of the food I tried here was take out, and certain dishes need to be served immediately. Service has always been exceptional so well worth some future visits!
(4)
t m.
This was truly one of our most amazing meals at any restaurant in our lives! absolutely gifted chef, and st. louis is so lucky to have you. thank you and your husband for your warmth and hospitality; you treated us like royalty and we are still dreaming of our meals with you! it was worth the 500+ mile trip to be back at one of our favorite places! We posted pics on facebook of your dumplings and even the snobby new york friends were impressed...people have been sending me amazed emails about the pictures, and so many wow comments. amazing and i am hoping to be back soon.
(5)
Ron M.
So I visited St. Louis a couple of weekends ago (one of many trips here) and I just happened to be craving Thai food. My gf didn't feel like going to any of the Thai places on the Loop, so we hopped on the Metro and headed to Clayton. The restaurant is fair-sized and you could easily accomodate a group of 10 or 12. We went late at night, so the lighting was pretty dim. For a Friday night, (although it had been the coldest night in the last few days) it wasn't that busy. We shared an order of Pad Thai and an order of Snowbird dumplings. The pad thai was definitely different from those found at LA thai places. The texture was much more softer, lacking the crunch of raw beansprouts, carrots, or cabbage. The flavor was also much milder as well. The Snowbird dumplings were mostly for show. They were undeniably cute, but for $8.95 for five dumplings... definitely something I wouldn't order again (unless I was with someone else who wanted to see them in person). We also ordered some Thai Iced Tea, which was rather good. I would probably rank it up in the top 3 or 4 Thai Iced Teas that I have had in my time in LA and in St. Louis. We then finished off the meal with some lychee sorbet. The sorbet was of good quality, not too icy, and you could definitely taste the lychee. Overall, it was a pretty good experience and I would definitely come back to try other dishes.
(4)
Brittany W.
Great traditional Thai! Good quaint atmosphere
(4)
Tony K.
Like the other reviews, nice quiet atmosphere and attentive wait staff. Dining room was a bit dated though, and beginning to smell its age. Food though was great. Both Chicken Tom Kha Soup (Chicken & Coconut Milk) and Tom Yum Talay (Mixed Seafood) were good, but not as good as some of my favorites over on the Illinois side of the Big Muddy. Thai Fried Rice with brown rice was especially good, especially for us diabetic types, a feature not often found in Thai restaurants. Overall, a good place to eat in Clayton.
(3)
David G.
Being on the road quite a bit there is a routine of foods I like to eat. One being Thai. This is the first place in St. Louis that I've enjoyed having Thai food thus far. The food was very fresh and spiced just right. I got the Pad-Sew-U which was perfect. As the app I got the snowbird dumplings that everyone mentions, great presentation and great taste. I have to say the price was a little bit on the higher side but the food was good so I can't complain.
(4)
Jonathan K.
This is some pretty great Thai food served with a classier ambiance in Clayton. The Snowbird Dumplings to start are a pretty cool dish, with the dumplings actually shaped into small snowbirds. I've never really seen anything like it. The Chicken Trio Nut is one of the best Thai dishes I've ever had, the sauce is very flavorful and not too spicy. I like the sauce so much that I actually put a little bit on my steamed rice, which tastes great. The Pad Thai is pretty good as well, and the Pad-See-U was just okay. The Sticky Rice and Mango here is also pretty delicious. The restaurant itself looks pretty nice inside, but it's usually almost uncomfortably quiet. Even if a few tables are full, for some reason it feels like everyone is often whispering, I can't really figure out why. The service has always been fine. For good Thai food, I prefer Blue Elephant to the Loop places by far. This is probably just about as good as you can do getting Thai in St. Louis.
(5)
Stephanie I.
The first time I came here, I was not at all impressed. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, and it was not cooked well, not flavored well, and just not very good at all. I thought I'd never come back. But then tonight, a coworker wanted to try this place so I agreed to give it a second chance. I ordered the Pad Kee Mao Woonsen and it was SO good!! It was perfectly spicy and flavored, and I devoured the entire thing (haha). My coworker tried it and said it was better than her dish (she ordered Chicken Pad Thai), so maybe it's just their pad thai that isn't very good. But highly recommended that you try the dish I had!
(4)
Sam E.
This is a nice place. Very clean. The food is good, however I prefer Manee Thai.
(3)
Stacey L.
For a city that is sorely lacking in Asian food, Blue Elephant, is an oasis. It is a little pricier than the other Thai places in the city but it is 100% worth it. The ingredients and food is simply fresher and higher quality. I love the green curry (those afraid of spicy beware) and all of the noodles, particularly the pad see yew. I'd say this is the best Thai food in St. Louis hands down. (Note: "best IN ST. LOUIS"... not the US or what have you).
(4)
Ya M.
Ordered two appitizers: crab/shrimp shumai, decent. Although more seafood than Asian cusine. Eggrolls, decent. Thai ice tea, tasted like it was from the can, (I just bought one from the Asian store on Grand last week, you can tell the difference between can and fresh made). Blue E. Thai's was from the can and WAYYYYY to sweet. They took that off the bill. We then ordered the Thai fried rice and Thai beef salad. Rice gets a 4/10. The Thai beef salad-complete fail. It had a funny oder, kind of like sewage or dirty dish towel, very unpleasant and quite nasty. I was thinking, am I going to get food posioning???...was so odd to place/figure out the smell. Anyhow, ate a bit of it, before I got completely grossed out. It was just not right. Not a real Thai beef salad by any means. Plus the smell was completely unforgiving. The place is kind of expensive too. Service was good tho, prompt/friendly people. Maybe a bit too prompt on the food tho, because it came out very fast. As if it had been pre-made, not "prepared" authentically. Maybe it was left overs. Anyhow, do yourself a favor, DO NOT GO HERE. Highly recommend Tong Phoons in Fairview Heights.
(1)
Christopher W.
I'm not in the mood to be hyper-critical today, so I will go with the middle of the road three start rating. Living near the Loop, I've come to expect good Thai food. Blue Elephant is not in the Loop. So, why the three star rating instead of a two? The interior design is pleasing. The wait staff is nice. The prices are reasonable. The food was good for sustenance, but was St Louis average. The green curry was not disappointing, so much as it was underwhelming. However, I was pleased that they allowed us to replace the ranch dressing on the house salad with a peanut sauce. If you are a vegetarian, happen to be in Clayton, and need lunch for under $10, then Blue Elephant is A-OK. If not, then I'm sure you can find a spot a few miles east to experience better.
(3)
Stephanie F.
I've only had some soup, cucumber salad, and thai iced tea, but those items were pretty good (but not the best I've ever had, hence four stars and not five). The staff really tried to accommodate my request for a "lighter" version of the soup and made sure my thai tea had the right amount of cream. I will go back and try other items.
(4)
Jess B.
A little pricey, but worth it. I have been looking for a decent Thai place in St. Louis to remind me of Chicago, and this place definitely out performed even my favorite thai place at home. Pad See U was delicious and I can't wait for my leftovers tomorrow.
(4)
Jonathan Y.
Great food and great presentation of the dishes. Maybe this should be a 5, because it's the best Thai food that's available in about a 20 mile radius (probably more?). Their curry is awesome and the different types definitely have a gradation in spiciness as opposed to each being a mere color difference or the difference between eating something not spicy and requiring a tongue graft later. I haven't had a bad dish there.
(4)
Rob N.
I live in S.F., enjoy Thai, and was visiting St Louis so my mom suggested Blue Elephant for lunch. The chicken Phad Thai and Pad See-U were great but not spicy at all. They would be a great way to introduce someone to Thai. Friendly, quick service!
(4)
Aaron J.
If you enjoy Thai food then you must try the Blue Elephant. The food there is most awesome. Going there for lunch or dinner is a wise choice if you are looking to have a nice meal. When I go there and eat I always like to have the Thai Spring Rolls. The rice paper rolls filled with vegetables and eggs are wonder. Of course, if you also have some Siamese Dumplings with them, then that is basically the best appetizer in the world that you can have. For my main course I ended up having the Pad Prik Beef. It tasted great. It was one of those meals where once you started to eat, you could just keep on going until you would explode. Because you only have so much that can fit on your plate, at sometime you have to stop, but you don't want to because it taste oh so good. The Blue Elephant is a great place to go and eat.
(4)
Smart G.
I think the vocalization of rating in "A-OK," and "Meh. I've experienced better" is throwing me off. Don't they mean, basically, the same thing? If I think something is "A-OK," that means that I've definitely experienced better, right? Right? Never mind. Well, Blue Elephant is OK--I've experienced better. Honestly, what is with this city and Thai food? I've only visited a handful of Thai places here, and, to be honest, none of them were that good. Blue Elephant does get props for their decorative food flares--again, to be honest, even these weren't that impressive, but considering that not many restaurants take the time to even attempt this kind of thing anymore, they get a pass. However, I do feel like they were being a little too cute with the decorations. We ordered some kind of dumpling appetizer that came out decorated so that each dumpling looked like a chickadee (with a piece of carrot for a beak). Now, I've eaten everything from fish eyes to cow brains--I have no problem eating almost anything, but once I stabbed one of those chick-a-dumplings, causing it to cave in on itself, I couldn't take it. I ate one, but that was it. It was too disturbing. Oh, it also didn't help that it wasn't that good, and once again, too sweet (what the hell St. Louis?). I was worried that my green curry was going to come out disguised as a adorable baby panda with down syndrome, but lucky me, it just came out forgettable. Yay.
(3)
Meredith G.
Just went to the Blue Elephant after years of just driving by it. It was over-priced and very average food. The server was nice but we had fruit flies all over our table. We finally asked to be moved and found that only half the flies joined us. We will probably never go back.
(1)
Andrew K.
For the midwest, I was pleasantly suprised. The Thai food is quite authentic and tasty! Everything on the menu was delicious. They really should do away with tables that only seat 2 - there's never enough room on the table for all the food we order. Unfortunately, although I give this place 5 stars for food, I have to subtract one for cost. There are other places in the city that serve just as good Thai cuisine at two-thirds the cost.
(4)
Nathan S.
Decent Thai food, clean and nice space, quick at lunch time, and an attentive and courteous wait staff. They do curries best. Pad thai was bland. Not a ton of Asian options in the area, but this is good enough to go whenever you got an itch.
(3)
Foo B.
A beautifully decorated place with an elegant atmosphere. Each dish is intricately presented with hand carved vegetables and garnishes. The only disappointing part was the food. From the other reviews I was expecting an authentic experience. The pad thai we ordered was bland. It didn't even have a hint of spice! If you want real Thai food, I'd suggest Thai Kitchen in Maryland Heights instead. They are much cheaper too!
(3)
mike l.
this isn't easy and probably not 100% fair, but I'm pretty sure Blue Elephant gave me food poisoning. we came in for an abbreviated dinner - soup & salad there, two entrees to go. I had the Tom Kha, sue had the Tom Yum and we split a papaya salad. all very good, yes yes. i got the garlic scallops and shrimp and ate it about two hours after we got home. 4 hrs later, I'm up and huddled over the business end of the toilet. The whole next day was spent shivering on the couch or bent over in the restroom interrupted by brief interruptions from The Food Network, ironically enough. take out that whole poisoning thing and it was spectacular!
(2)
Ellen S.
Really good Thai food. Personally I would bump up the heat on the curries which seem to be more sweet than hot, but everything is quite delicious. Ten dollar corkage is nice, too.
(4)
Bill C.
This used to be My favorite Thai place in St. Louis. Sadly it went downhill and I won't go there anymore
(2)
Julia W.
Hooray for great Thai food in St. Louis! The Blue Elephant is actually the first Thai place I've ever visited in STL, so I can't compare to other spots in the city, but coming from my Chicago neighborhood where every corner hosts its own cheap Thai place, I feel I can make a good judgment on the quality of the food. It's good. Very good. A bit pricier than my $6 curry spots and $3.95 for six superb crab rangoon, but I'd say part of what you're paying for at Blue Elephant is the ambiance and service, both of which are lovely. And the presentation! The snowbird dumplings were these cutsey little birds, filled with a delicious spiced chicken filling and each plate presented was surrounded by intricately carved root vegetables - better yet, the presentation did not outdo the taste. My red curry was delicious, my husband's green curry made his nose run (always a good sign) and my in-laws both enjoyed their meals as well. My only minor complaint is with the crab rangoon. I've heard from multiple folks that you just can't find good rangoon in STL and while I'd say that Blue Elephant's rangoons were pretty good, they don't hold a candle to what I can find at numerous spots in Chicago for less money. But Blue Elephant still gets 5 stars because come on, crab rangoon isn't really Thai anyway. I've said it before - fried cream cheese can't be much else than fat-assed American, through and through. One thing to be proud of. :)
(5)
Rob C.
The best Thai food in St. Louis hands down. Menu is not very extensive, but the food is excellent. Also, it's in Clayton, so the ambiance is decent, and the price is slightly higher accordingly. (I think it's better than King and I, Thai Bu Ree, Thai Country, Thai Gai, Sen Thai, etc.)
(5)
Sarah L.
It has been three days since I ate at the Blue Elephant and I am still grinning and daydreaming about the Roast Duck Curry, and to a lesser extent the Chicken Satay. I loved this place: clean, intimate, quiet, delicious, and my curry portion was big enough to eat again the next day!
(5)
Jessica L.
This is my favorite thai restaurant in the st. louis area, no question. The food is fresh and I really like the clean, relaxing atmosphere. Try the mango and sticky rice dessert, it's excellent.
(5)
Michael H.
Pretty decent Thai food. Lunch menu is somewhat smaller, but comes with an appetizer and dessert (which change daily) that are usually quite good. Price is around $10 after tip for most of the lunch specials.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lavanya N.
The food here is so flavorful. I am a big fan of getting a curry and a fried rice and eating them together. Red curry and Thai fried rice are my favorite combination. When you tell them you want your food spicy, they take you seriously and make it however you like. The wine selection is average but they have a decent Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay. They both pair well with the spicy food. I've been going here for about a year and a half now and the business here is picking up. This hasn't slowed the service down. This is my go to Thai restaurant..
(4)David W.
Yikes, we were in the Clayton area and craving Thai so we got to try this place out. Unfortunately, this place just isn't good enough to warrant another trip. It's a nicer place, higher class and pretty good date night spot, dimmer lights quieter atmosphere. Service was good, water always stayed high and stuff. I got to try their Pad Thai, Pad See-Ew, and Cashew Shrimp Their Pad Thai was undercooked it seemed. The taste was alright but the portions were extremely small for the price. The noodles itself were chewy and seemed undercooked, but maybe that is just their own style. The Pad See-Ew had a very big soy-sauce flavor. So, I guess if you are a pretty big soy-sauce fan, you might like this dish; I think it was quite overpowering but thats just me. The Cashew Shrimp was the best thing I got to try there. It had a lot of veggies, shrimp, and cashews, with a spicy, salty sauce that you would eat with rice. Portions were mediocre, but it was quite pricey, I paid around 20 dollars after tip. In the end, unfortunately I would go elsewhere if you want Thai food.
(3)Tim D.
A very nice cosy Thai restaurant. Had a family get-together and the service was superb. Our waitress was friend, helpful and attentive. Our food had excellent flavors and the menu while small covered many of the Thai meals we all enjoy. The ingredients were fresh and excellent quality. They have adapted the "heat" ratings to suit the general population who are not used to true Thai heat in the dishes. The highest rated heat offered was mild to what I am used to, they gave me a nice side dish of fresh chili which brought the heat up!! Please do not confuse "heat" with flavor, as the food flavors were excellent. We will definitely be back.
(4)Megan Rose R.
I've lived in STL my whole life and just recently moved to U City... holy Asian food heaven! I was pretty dang stoked to see all the positive reviews for a Thai place that delivered... mostly because I was suffering from an alcohol induced coma and leaving the house was absolutely NOT an option. Detox = Delivery Let me point out, I'll eat pretty much anything that has a business model of preparing, packing up, driving and walking all the way to my door step to ring my door/dinner bell. That being said, I regret the .43 calories I wasted on getting up and opening that "door to disappointment" last night... let alone the $20+ bucks I shelled out (I'm poor, shut up). I ordered the Crispy Eggs Rolls... okay, I know it's not super adventurous but I tend to be a creature of habit when in autopilot hangover mode. Nothing special but it's kinda like ordering Jack in the Box tacos... you know they can't mess it up. Then the Pad Thai (sans tofu)... blah. No spice, no texture, lifeless. Don't get me wrong, I ate it... all... within 2 episodes of Game of Thrones. But only because there are thousands of Unsullied starving somewhere. Next time, I'll stick with pizza... for The Old Gods and The New.
(2)Beck E.
Oh, thank goodness, there's decent Thai food in St. Louis. Finally got the chance to stop by last night for dinner and ordered the Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles) Woosen (glass noodles). My friend warned me that "spicy" here actually means spicy and that he could barely tolerated a 4 on their scale of 1 to 5... so of course I had to order a 4. :) It packed some heat while still being enjoyable, and it helped that the noodles were very flavorful. I got a generous portion of beef, too. The 5 maybe would not have been enjoyable unless I was really looking to be miserable, but I think spicy fans would not be disappointed. The price and portions were right too. Definitely a fan! I hope to return to try several more items. Maybe then I'll bump this rating up to a 5.
(4)B W.
A+ FOOD, C+ ATMOSPHERE Here is the thing about this restaurant - it never caught on the way it should have. I think the Thai food is absolutely wonderful, and the pad thai rivals any of the others around. The reason I don't go as often is that often times, you'll find that you are the only one in the restaurant. It takes away from the vibe a bit when the people running it are entertaining their bored children in the corner of the restaurant because there's not all that much going on. Still, I don't know that there's a Thai restaurant that beats it! THE SNOWBIRD DUMPLINGS ARE INSANE. Also, did you know they DELIVER? Far distances, too.
(4)Hoogaelric T.
Buggy water: They served me a glass of ice water refill --- with a dead bug in it. They must have seen that we did not order any nourishing snacks and gifted us this supplementary bug protein water. Nice treat. I certainly wouldn't miss such rare occurrence and took a few pictures. Too bad that I forgot to take pictures of their kitchen and how they processed ingredients. Please do not be deceived by the cosmetically clean and well presented dishes, and be aware of the unhygienic food.
(2)Luke M.
Average Thai food with slow service. I had the stereotypical chicken of Thai and it was ok. Pretty bland and rather slimy. The egg drop soup had a nasty consistency to it that reminded me of jello. Only good thing was the price of lunch. I doubt I'll be back as there are plenty of better Thai options in the STL area!
(2)Sarah L.
Thai food is my absolute favorite! I was excited to try this place and left feeling quite satisfied after a good meal. I came here for a party of about 20 people (they were awesome and accommodated us all, however they did not split us off from the other restaurant guests so I have to imagine that was kind of annoying to the others in the restaurant). They offer all of your favorite Thai dishes! For appetizers we had spring rolls and the snowbird dumplings which were adorably shaped like little ducks, but then stuffed with chicken...! For dinner, I tried the Pad Thai and Red Curry, both were very good - I think they made them a little mild since we were a group, my personal preference would have been a bit spicier! For dessert, we had mango and sticky rice, yum! Overall, great food and good service considering we were a large party! I'll be back!
(4)Brian B.
Very good Thai food, this place has been in downtown Clayton for a long time. I have been here many times for lunch and recently went for dinner on a weekend night. I always thought of this as mainly a lunch place for the Clayton work crowd, but the dinner experience was just as enjoyable. I had the Pad Thai and ordered it extra spicy. It met expectations as it was right at my comfort level of spiciness and was delicious. We also had the spring rolls and fried vegetable rolls and all were excellent. I did notice that their lunch menu has more options for vegetarians. Not sure what is going to happen to this block in Clayton (there is new development proposed), but I hope Blue Elephant remains in Clayton!
(4)Tae S.
Horrible food. Weird decor. Worst thai food in st louis!! The spring roll came out soaked in sauce. The outer coat was neither crispy nor soft. The inside was luke warm and gross. There was ketchup next to the rolls!! Who eats ketchup w their spring rolls????
(1)DeAnne P.
Yikes! There are few times a 1-star is deserving, however getting sick is one of them. Walking in for takeout, I asked the nice man behind the counter what dish would have no eggs, no meat, and no dairy - what dishes are vegan. He suggested vegan pad thai. When we got home not only did the dish have eggs but it had meat - my body got sick immediately. And most importantly, I also observed a young woman in the dirty alley behind Blue Elephant prepping (trimming) their raw chicken outside with no gloves - food poisoning waiting to happen. Yuck!
(1)Jackson T.
I went here with my girlfriend, I ordered the duck with yellow curry and she ordered some kind of beef curry. We ordered krabrangoons and dumplings for appetizers. The presentation of the dishes were amazing! Five stars on that. The food tasted great as well! Five stars. Service was excellent. The decor was interesting...sort of a contemporary french tiki bar kind of thing.
(5)Mallory G.
Blue elephant is definitely up there on my favorite Thai places. It is classier, a little more expensive but they have linen napkins so.... What do you expect? The food here is pretty good, they actually make things somewhat spicy when you say "Thai spicy". Wish it was a little cheaper, and the portions were a bit bigger. Good date spot.
(4)Mira K.
The food was pretty good, the prices ok, but really bad service. We got the red curry with chicken and the pad see-u. I substituted brown rice for an extra dollar and it was just a little ice cream scoop of rice. We watched the waitress go to all the other tables and stay in the back for awhile before even taking our drink order. We waved her down eventually and she took another five minutes to come over and take our order.
(3)Liv C.
Blue Elephant is everything you want a Thai restaurant to be. The environment is clean and nice. Our waiter was sweet and attentive, without being annoying. The prices are reasonable. Most importantly, the food is delicious. Last night, we ordered the Siamese dumplings and loved their meaty, peanuty, garlicky goodness. We shared the panang curry and the roast duck curry and were pleased with them both. Each was spicy, but not uncomfortable. The presentation at Blue Elephant really stands out-the plates are decorated beautifully. I live in Tampa and eat a lot of Thai back home, but Blue Elephant is special enough to always want to visit when I'm in town.
(5)Richa T.
This place isn't super fancy, but you'll really like the food. The first time I came, the restaurant was filled with a large crowd. However, the second time I had come, it was really empty. Another reviewed described the eeriness well - like they failed a health inspection and you are the only customers who didn't get the memo. If you can get over being the only ones in the restaurant, I think you'll really enjoy this place. The emerald chicken is always my go to option for Blue Elephant. I absolutely love their Thai food! I've heard from a few friends that it isn't the most authentic, but boy is it yummy! The emerald chicken is a beautifully roasted chicken breast with sautéed spinach and peas in the most incredible peanut sauce served with a side of jasmine rice - it's savory with just a hint of sweetness. The peas are really my favorite part though, they add quite a bit of crunch. The basil chicken is really good too - although I feel like I have had similar dishes at other Thai restaurants.
(4)Kirby M.
Had a recent weekend night dinner here and surprisingly the place was empty. It's in the heart of Clayton, great service, pretty nice interior including white linens on the tables...the menu has a good selection, some pretty good red wine by the glass options and bubbly options. I had pad thai and it was as good as any place in STL. I/we don't mind quiet so I guess I won't complain that this is a secret or something?
(4)Rob E.
The Pad Kee Mao Woonsen is amazing!! Be forewarned that it's a spicy, but delicious dish. I'm in St. Louis periodically on business and I always make a point of stopping in for a delicious meal.
(5)Nicole L.
Love, love, love this place! My boyfriend and I get something different every time! The appetizers are great for sharing. Portion sizes are large and plenty! The presentation is remarkable - they create veggie flowers and animals snowbird dumpling. All the curries are also unbelievable flavor!!!
(5)Amber W.
This place was a little on the small side, but the decor was really pretty. The lights were a little dim, but it added a softness to the restaurant. I went here with my boyfriend, my best friend, and her boyfriend. I've learned that I like to eat family-style when eating Thai food, but this time we all ordered our own dishes. I ordered the Pad See Ew, which was really yummy. It was slightly sweet, which was sort of odd, but I liked that it had plenty of liquid, rather than being gummy. My boyfriend ordered the Pad Thai, with a spice level of 4, which can sometimes be too spicy for some, but my boyfriend and I both like spicy food, so he enjoyed it, and when I tried it, it was yummy. I would've probably ordered a 3 for myself. My best friend's boyfriend ordered an order of Spring rolls to share, and they were super yummy. Crisp and delicious.
(4)Aimee K.
Second times the charm! I found three dynamite menu items that I'll be ordering forever and ever amen. They are: -The crab rangoon (best I've ever had) -Pad thai (not as good as King & I, but close, and full of chopped peanuts and tofu) -Red curry! I'm usually a yellow curry fan, but wow the red curry here is good. Get it with chicken, and enjoy all of the vegetables doused in red curry sauce. It also tasted much better with white rice as opposed to brown. The same nice guy delivered my food, and I'm actually wishing I didn't find out that the items listed above are awesome, because it means I will probably be eating a lot more Thai food on my couch. So far I'm really satisfied with Blue Elephant. Try it the next time you're lazy and hungry!
(4)Brian H.
Amazing curry and super cold beer. I've been to Thailand and this place is legit. Well done I would return any time.
(5)Sanjeev T.
Fantastic, just watch out for the spice. Very tasty food for sure.
(5)Veronica S.
The yellow curry here is amazing!!!! One order easily makes two meals.... If you can manage to resist eating it all in one sitting. The dumplings are great, too! I don't live around here but I will definitely have this again next time I'm in town.
(5)Janet G.
First time here and was enchanted. My friend and I were actually going to wait 45+minutes for a Different Pasta/pizza venue. We decided to walk to the starbucks near by ((that was another story: the girl working there was ruuude. They must have been about to close and she was tired, still no reason to be attitude missy!)) As we are walking we pass Blue Elephant, it looks empty only two tables being used. The outside doesnt look fancy, but it looks okay. I have a gut feeling ;) and tell my friend to consider this place. We walk inside and immediately the whole picture changes. It looks charming, the staff immediately recognizes us and leads us to a table. They didnt even fuss about the fact that we had starbucks coffee cups with us. My friend Ordered: Pad thai which received an approval rating. I ordered: fried spring rolls with peach sauce as an app and they were goood. Entree: I believe it was the Pad Kee Mao. Thin noodles in peanut sauce, with bean sprouts, green and red bell peppers, onions, egg, with tofu. It was delicious! I ordered more peanut sauce to mild the spicy. The atmosphere was calm and relaxing. There was soft classical music playing. Perfect. We couldn't stop talking about how glad we were to have found it. It beat by much, or other plan of waiting for the other busy, loud, expensive, place. For everything we ordered we only paid total $25 and a few cents + tip. I believe this is a good price for good food!
(4)Jake M.
I've eaten here twice with one time being a delivery and have been very satisfied both times. The snowbird dumplings are excellent and their curry had just the right mix of sweet and spicy. The wait staff is very courteous and the restaurant was nice and clean with a quiet dining room. Only critique I would have is a more imaginative selection of adult beverages but that is a minor detail.
(4)Michael G.
In Downtown Clayton. for a late dinner on Memorial Day. We called ahead and they were happy to hear from us, even though it was late in the evening. We arrived about 30 minutes to closing. Thai is fast anyway and they served us fast, with a smile. The food is outstanding. The service too. They started to clean up around us, but were still pleasant. This is one great Thai; I'm sure you may not do better, and you could always do worse. We were more than satisfied with the quality and the pricing. Check them out. They have a new location in CWE, (different name I think).
(4)Nicole S.
Best yellow curry! Has so much flavor! Very spicy, but you can ask for it mild. Siamese dumplings are also really good.
(5)Stephanie R.
I would say this is the most "high quality" Thai place in St. Louis. My favorite dish here is the Emerald Chicken. It is absolutely delicious! Chicken with spinach and peanut sauce and wasabi peas over rice. It's a great combo! Also the Snowbird dumplings are a fun appetizer since they look like birds. :)
(4)Amanda K.
Since my first stop at Blue Elephant was phenomenal, I was hoping a second stop would be just as good but it ended up being pretty disappointing. My boyfriend, Alex, and I came here on a Friday night a few months back craving some more delicious Asian food. Seeing that it was a Friday night at prime "going out to eat" time (around 7:30 PM) we expected there to be somewhat of a crowd but we were actually the only people in the restaurant! This definitely took away from the ambiance because it seemed as though they failed a heath inspection or something and we were the only ones that missed out on the news. I am not sure if being the only ones in their made us feel awkward or what, but the food just didn't wow us like it did the first time. We ordered the chicken coconut soup we got on our first visit, an order of spring rolls, and pad sa ew. The chicken soup was still pretty tasty (although not quite as good as the first time), the wrapper on the spring rolls had an off texture and the whole thing was just kind of flavorless, and the pad saw ew was good. All in all, it was just disappointing and will prevent me from making a third visit. There are too many other Asian places to visit in St. Louis so one bad meal will steer me away.
(3)Lorraine N.
I got take out and ordered by phone so I cannot comment on the ambiance of this place. I'm judging solely on the quality of food. I called and expressed interest in a chicken dish with veggies. I did not see what I wanted on the menu so they improvised and assured me they could make something like what I wanted. It was okay but not what I was thinking. I ate every last bite still and thought the chicken was prepared in an excellent fashion. I believe I will get pad Thai next time as I am still discovering what Thai inspired food is all about...but so far like all I have sampled.
(3)Elizabeth M.
I absolutely love Blue Elephant! It's definitely my favortie place to go in St. Louis. Half the time I go I get the Pad Thai - it's delicious. :) I also like that it is good for all occasions - dates, nights out with friends, and even delivery! (a little pricey for a college student, but it's so worth it)
(5)Aditi M.
Very good place with great food.!
(5)Hao X.
My lab came here for lunch. I thought it was only ok. I got the green curry with beef lunch special. It was described as popular and spicy. It came with either salad or wontons. I chose wontons. The wontons were deep fried and ok. Small, bite size, not too much flavor. I looked at the salads that were served around the table. It looked boring with way too much dressing. I didn't find either things very appetizing. I'm not really sure why the green curry was popular. It wasn't very spicy and the sauce was just meh. The beef was tender but not very flavorful. I ended up mixing all my food together to eat it all. It wasn't bad, but I've had much much better. I don't think I'd choose to come here again.
(3)Annie K.
So, after hearing wonderful things about this place for almost 8 years now, I finally got around to trying this place. And I concur! It is great! Definitely beats the Thai places in the loop hands down. I got the Pad Kee Mao with chicken. I was a little disappointed when it came out because I was expecting flat glass noodles but instead they were thin glass noodles (not specified on the menu) However, after the first bite, I got over that real fast. The chicken in the noodles was extremely tender (unlike the rubberized chicken you get at Thai Country Cafe et al) and they really made it spicy per my request. I'm always unsure at a new place if they really will make things spicy enough for me.. no worries here. The boy was sweating after a few bites ... lol.. weak. Really loved the basil flavor as well. He got the Roasted Duck Curry. He loved it. I thought it was ok..and pricey at $19. The curry did seem a little watered down/not as creamy as say, King and I's curries. The duck was extremely tender as well and was really interesting as I had never had duck + curry. This seems ridiculous to say.. but their white rice that comes with the curry is SO GOOD! Wayyyy better than the rice you get with Chinese take out. But, take note that they will charge you if you ask for a second bowl of rice .. I think it was around $1.50. Glad to say I've tried this place now and will be coming back next time I get a Thai craving. =]
(4)Charlotte G.
This place has great Thai classics but is pricey, if you're looking for quality Thai for less $ then I suggest Fork and Stix near Delmar. Blue Elephant is definitely better suited to a more formal sit-down dinner.
(3)Jacqueline C.
Snow bird dumplings might be worth the visit, everything else was basic and nothing that made me too over the edge excited. The curry was standard and almost lacking that deep rich flavor in most curry dishes. The price is a bit high for what you are getting. Pad Thai is good but nothing to rave about.
(3)Aaron W.
4 STARS WITH A FEW RESERVATIONS.... Dined here last night with friends for the first time. The food was great, unfortunately, there were a few distracting features that's really holding this place back. Ok, back to the food! We tried the snow birds and crab rangoon to start with. The snow birds, although beautiful, were lacking in flavor. The sauce placed in beads around the plate tasted more like catsup than anything. The seasoned chicken was bland and slightly dry. The rangoon filling was tasty and on the sweet side, served with a variation of plum sauce on the side. Upon opening, I actually saw a hint on "crab" which you usually fail to find in an asian place (though it was "krab stick" most likely, considering the price). Entrees: BEST DISH ON THE MENU: 5 spiced duck! It was amazing!! If you go...get it!. I will be back for that dish alone! The pad thai was good (but mine is better!). Chicken panang was a beautiful blend of sweet and spicy. The beef dish with bell peppers was very tasty and the beef melted in our mouths! Healthy choice fried rice tasted great, it did seem very moist, which made me question the amount of oil they added, but I can't be sure? Ok, on to my RESERVATIONS: Fruit Flies!! I killed two of them while sitting at the table, with one or two more I couldn't get! Completely unappetizing to say the least. Second, the bathroom! The front of the restaurant looks great but as you make you way back to use the restroom, the door is coated in a dark grey grime. It needed to be cleaned, or just painted to say the least! Come on! And once inside, the ceiling tiles are stained dark brown from water damage that has occurred in the past. It definitely makes you question their food handling practice (if that's how comfortable they are leaving their restroom)?? Bottom line, CLEAN UP YOUR BATHROOM, REMOVE THE FRUIT FLIES, AND YOU'RE A 5 STAR THAI RESTAURANT!!
(4)Danielle M.
I blame my anxiety of driving and parking new places on the fact it took so long to try this place. Shame on me, because this is the first Thai place I've found in St. Louis that I actually really like! (And the parking and driving situation wasn't even all that bad.) Entrees are definitely a little more expensive than your average corner Chinese place - but it's worth it, and you can tell in the quality of ingredients. Actual tender pieces of chicken, flavorful sauces, minimal greasy-ness - and still enough to have leftovers the next day. A new favorite in Clayton!
(5)Michelle H.
This was hands down THE WORST Thai food I have ever had (and I've eaten a lot of Thai over the years). As soon as I entered the place, it smelled like a toilet was backed up or sewage. I was hoping the food would make up for the smell, but it was just as bad, if not worse. I had the Pad Kee Mao and it was very bland. It's supposed to be spicy! And the beef was "shredded" (a first that I've ever seen). Service was good, but overall, I was VERY disappointed. I will not be going back.
(1)Jen C.
Best Thai dinner in a long time! We ordered takeout on a Wednesday night near 9 pm and it was amazing. The yellow curry was fresh, vegetables crunchy and full of flavor. The spring rolls were great and the beef noodles were awesome. We have been here several times but this was off charts great!
(5)William B.
The chicken tastes like a shoe
(1)Leslie S.
Very good food, decent service. I would agree that prices are a little higher here even though food quality didn't seem much higher than cheap Thai places. I believe you're paying for atmosphere and food presentation. All the same, I would definitely come back.
(3)Keith D.
Unlike some other Yelper's we didn't have a five or four-star experience. Here's the best things I can say. The service was very good and the Snowbird Dumplings were amazing. My wife made me take a picture before we ate it. Raya K. was spot on with her review comment when she said they were "almost too beautiful to eat...almost." I had the red curry chicken that has just enough heat without an overpowering amount of curry flavor. Very balanced. The only reason I'm not giving them a four-star rating is the Pad Thai was not very good. FIrst, there were no chopped peanuts as advertised and the noodles just didn't taste very fresh. It didn't have the flavors you would expect from a Thai dish. Would I go back...yes. Will I make a beeline to return...no.
(3)Carole M.
Crab rangoon was a step above normal. So was the chicken red curry. I asked them to tone down the spice and it was perfect -- a bit of a kick but not scorching. Fresh veggies and meat.
(4)E C.
Great service, accommodating for my friend's peanut allergy, and patient! Especially loved their signature snowbird dumplings, and the red curry had a nice spicy afternote!
(4)Jessica L.
So I finally came INTO the restaurant to eat and it was pretty pleasant! Décor: It's a small place. We came with a group of about 12, so we were in the middle, taking up the majority of the place. Everyone around us were like couples. It's brightly lit, with simplistic colors of white, beige & tan and very clean. No booths. Service: It was fine. We had reservations beforehand, so that's a plus. But the women were nice, nothing to complain or rave about. Food: (pictures up!) So I mentioned I've had their food to go before----wow, I should go to the restaurant more often because it looks so much better on plates than in a plastic container! Haha. I got one of their most expensive dishes, the duck one. I had ordered the ones with mangos in it, but I'm PRETTY sure she gave me the other duck dish because that one DEFINITELY didn't have mango's in them. But I didn't want to return because it turned out to be really good with the rice! Portion was large enough to take half of it home (they will pack it all up for you so if all it can fit is mostly duck and SOME of the rice, that's all you're getting to take home!). I also LOOOOVE thai tea and they did theirs pretty well :) Price: It all came up to a little more than $25 for myself. Not bad, for the portion and the dish, I thought. Bottom Line: I like this place! I'd frequent this place to get my Thai fix since it's close by to me too :)
(4)Geoff F.
Good little Thai restaurant a couple blocks from the Sheraton. It's a nice quiet and relaxing atmosphere. We went on a Friday night and had the padsee-U and the red chicken curry which were both delicious. The flavors were perfectly balanced and lots of veggies and enough rice for the both of us to share. The staff was great and prompt (wish she could smile a bit more). The food came out in no time! And the price of the meal was about right for a Thai restaurant in a nice area.
(4)Karen G.
My review is based solely on a delivery experience. I don't expect food delivered to my house to be quite as good as if it was served piping hot in the restaurant. Still, I was pretty disappointed with the 2 dishes I tried. I got the Yellow Chicken Curry...and it was ok but the chicken was dry and lacked flavor. The potatoes were also just bland pieces. The sauce was good...and I could eat it just for the sauce, but I expect more. I also ordered the Cinnamon Pork and it was really disappointing. I really couldn't taste the cinnamon and the pork was blah. I did like the sauce that was over the broccoli and carrots. And prices are what you would expect in Clayton...high...but I expect top notch food when I pay more. I probably won't try it again. There are just better options out there.
(3)David L.
spring rolls are horrible. papaya salad is even worse. i would give half a star if i can . this is not thai food...
(1)Anna S.
My personal favorite was the penang curry, however they really limited our rice. We maybe got 1 cup total the whole time for 4 people. It was nuts!!! How much does a cup of brown rice cost? really???
(3)Amy B.
Another place that delivers to my house, oh yes! I'm sorry but I'm a sucker for delivery. Anywhere that allows me to stay in my pj's with my husband, puppy, and a warm fire..well, they might win me over pretty quickly! The other night was my first experience with Blue Elephant and my husband and I both enjoyed it very much! We ordered the crab rangoon, the snowbird dumplings, and pad thai. The Crab Rangoon was by far the best I can ever remember having. It says it comes with sweet and sour sauce, and I don't doubt it, but this was unlike any other sweet and sour sauce I've ever had! Delicious! I had read about the Snowbird Dumplings but didn't know that my husband had actually ordered them! They were so cute and really come shaped as snowbirds! They weren't as spicy as I thought they would be, which actually worked well for me because I don't do well with spicy food. They too came with a mystery sauce that was perfect to dip the dumplings in! The pad thai was good but I would call it bland. Next time I will be asking for extra lime and most likely have crushed red pepper on hand. All in all it was a really good dinner, and I'm sure it will become one of our top delivery places!
(4)Stephanie S.
Let me set the scene for you. It's a cold Saturday night, and after spending much of the day running errands, socializing, and pretty much being awesome, I was wiped out. I didn't feel like cooking dinner. I didn't even feel like leaving the house to go out to dinner at a restaurant. Get this: I was SO LAZY, I didn't even feel like hitting up the drive through. Yep, I was having one of those lazy nights where all I wanted to do was snuggle my cat, watch reruns of How I Met Your Mother, and pay someone to deliver food to my door. Blue Elephant to the rescue! I was in Clayton earlier that day around lunchtime, and while I wasn't able to dine in for lunch (they were closed), I saw that they had dinner hours. I wasn't sure if they'd deliver all the way to Maplewood, but after reading Karen G's review about how they delivered to her house in UCity, I figured it was worth a shot. I called and learned that they do, in fact, deliver to Maplewood! Success. I placed an order for duck curry and an order of crispy egg rolls. The grand total? $28, not including tip. Jesus Christ Superstar...this better be some good shit. About an hour later, the order arrives at my door. It's piping hot! I immediately dig into the crispy egg rolls. They're tiny little things (about the width of a fat cigar), and the order comes with 4. They're paired with a sweet orange colored dipping sauce. I enjoyed them. Now for the main event. The duck curry. I read in Allan C's review that the duck was boneless, which was a huge selling point for me. Honestly? I'm not sure how I feel about this. The duck pieces were large, but fatty and a little...gristly? I kept pulling little bits of inedible ickiness out of my mouth while I was eating this. Lovely visual, I know. It's a good thing no one was there to witness this but my cat. In addition, I wasn't a fan of all of the (what I'm assuming were) bamboo shoots in this dish. Ew. It was almost impossible to eat around these things! Blech. On a happier note, the rice and sauce were delicious. I almost want to bake up some tofu, serve it over rice, and pour this delicious sauce over it. Or maybe I could just drink the sauce plain. Do you think if I called Blue Elephant and asked them for a vat of duck curry sauce, they would provide enough for me to bathe in it? Challenge accepted.
(3)Steph C.
I am very picky when it comes to Thai food so when we were visiting friends in St. Louis I was skeptical and even threw out some other suggestions instead of this place. I am so glad they insisted we eat at the Blue Elephant because it left a lasting impression on us. This place is Delicious!!!!! Everything is super fresh and the way they present the food is so beautiful! We each ordered something and tried a little of everything. The chicken satay has the best peanut sauce and a lovely little cucumber salad. I got to try the Snowbird dumplings which look like little birds filled with a delicious chicken mixture. The red chicken curry was wonderful too. Well our friends moved so now I have visions of going out to St. Louis just to be able to eat here again!!!
(5)Mark R.
I enjoyed my plate. I had one of the curries. It was adequately spicy and was plenty to fill me up! My friend had a non-spicy noodle dish with shrimp. She said it was too sweet and didn't feel like finishing it. The chicken dumplings that have the unique shape were very tasty, but incredibly overpriced for just 5 of them. Cheaper prices, and probably better food at The King and I.
(3)Allan C.
Roast Duck Curry. It's BONELESS! Seriously, I never expect any roast duck anything to be boneless and still taste good. It almost never happens. That's all I'd really need from this place. The lamb is good, the pad thai was my favorite until I tried Simply Thai and Pearl Cafe, and the pad see euw is solid as well. However, every time I don't get the roast duck curry, I find myself regretting it. This place just has dishes that you don't often see at the other Thai places in town. That alone makes it worth trekking out to.... and try the Roast Duck curry.
(4)Jon T.
We took our Groupon to Blue Elephant for a Saturday evening dinner. We arrived about 6:45 and the place was nearly deserted which gave me some concern for the survival of the place, but it filled up a little over half by the time we left. It is a small place in Clayton with about 15 tables. Our experience was fine. I might give a slight nod to Addie's Thai or Thai Sawadee but if I lived closer this would provide a serviceable Thai fix. I am absolutely no expert on Thai cuisine. They were out of the Shumai that night so we changed to the Siamese Dumplings. These were very delicate, filled with a little meat, served on lettuce with some crushed peanuts. They were very good. I would have liked a little dipping sauce with them. I had the Thai Hot and Sour soup. It had some very tasty shrimp and mushrooms. The 'shrooms were not wood ears as advertized, they were canned, sliced button mushrooms. They were fun to eat due to the rubbery texture, but not very flavorful as fresh wood ears would have been. I loved the broth, tangy with lime and richened with coconut milk. It was good to the last drop. It was not spicy hot however, so for those who don't eat heat, it would be OK. Ms T had her obligatory Pad See You. It had plenty of noodles and chicken and good hot wok flavor. Ms T would have liked a little more broccoli. I had the Pad Prik Beef. I ordered it extra hot and it was pleasantly hot, but not really hot. I ordered this because I wanted to avoid the dishes that can be very sweet. The beef was a little solid, but again it was OK. It had a good quantity of bell peppers and onions. I would certainly go back if we did not have two good Thai places close to home.
(3)Doug M.
Another Wednesday in Clayton, another restaurant to try for lunch. (I've been in Clayton most Wednesdays since late September, thru early January). This time, Blue Elephant made the cut. This is a pretty unassuming place, really just a storefront serving as a restuarant. Decor is modest, even a bit dated. But the atmosphere is quiet and relaxed. And service was prompt and pleasant. Since this was lunchtime, I didn't have opportunity to try anything special. Blue Elephant has a lunch menu that is pretty limited. Primarily rice/noodles, Thai curry, or stir fry. Now, I don't eat Thai very often, and when I do it is usually the Thai curry. However, this time, I thought I'd give the pad Thai a shot. It came with salad, but the waitress asked if I wanted salad or miso soup. I chose the soup, since it would be a light accompaniment to the pad Thai. Soup was decent. It had a light to medium-strength flavor, with a generous amount of small diced tofu and spinach (?) leaf squares. Had I realized it came with the tofu, though, I probably would not have ordered tofu for my "meat" in the pad Thai. Anyway, when the pad Thai came, it was a generous portion, attractively presented. Noodles were just right, not too sticky, not too oily, not too hard, not too mushy. Tofu squares were generous, as in the soup, and seemed freshly seared. There was a lot of egg, too, which was surprisingly flavorful - kudos for this. However, and I didn't realize this until later in the day, I didn't notice any peanuts at all! Not sure what to think of this - were they just finely chopped, did I simply not notice, or do they not include it as another review noted? It is on the menu description, after all. Cost for my lunch - pad Thai with soup - was $8. Not bad for the portion. Both the soup and the entree came out quickly, which is great when you want to graba relatively quick lunch at a sit down place, but don't just want a sandwich. The limited menu probably helps this quite a bit. I say give it a try, at least for lunch. It's not fancy, but it's quick, relaxed, and left me satisfied.
(3)Neal C.
Two places I will go to eat Thai food in St. Louis King and I and Blue Elephant. Fresh ingredient.. One of very few Thai places where the meat didn't smell funky and old. Order the duck curry and a noodle dish(sorry, forgot the name). The duck curry was very delicious with decent amount of duck and fresh vegetables/pineapples. The noodle dish had fresh basil which added another delicious layer of flavor. The white rice they served was moist, fresh, and sticky, just like what Asian rice supposed to be. Despite having fancy decors, the owner or the worker talked loudly on her phone while folding napkins. Guess I shouldn't be surprised. Con: pricey, they even charge $1.50 for extra rice!! Fruit flies!!! flying around our dishes... eww!! Will go back to try other dishes. Highly recommended if you can overlook the price and fruit flies. :D Happy Eating!
(4)Raya K.
After my last visit to the Blue Elephant, I was quite a bit more impressed with the food than previous times. Maybe I am just not a fan of their noodle dishes (pad thai and pad kee mao), but the basil chicken I had last week was a welcomed surprise. I requested some extra heat to the dish and they delivered! The snowbird dumplings are incredibly beautiful. Almost too beautiful to eat...almost. It could be that most of the food I tried here was take out, and certain dishes need to be served immediately. Service has always been exceptional so well worth some future visits!
(4)t m.
This was truly one of our most amazing meals at any restaurant in our lives! absolutely gifted chef, and st. louis is so lucky to have you. thank you and your husband for your warmth and hospitality; you treated us like royalty and we are still dreaming of our meals with you! it was worth the 500+ mile trip to be back at one of our favorite places! We posted pics on facebook of your dumplings and even the snobby new york friends were impressed...people have been sending me amazed emails about the pictures, and so many wow comments. amazing and i am hoping to be back soon.
(5)Ron M.
So I visited St. Louis a couple of weekends ago (one of many trips here) and I just happened to be craving Thai food. My gf didn't feel like going to any of the Thai places on the Loop, so we hopped on the Metro and headed to Clayton. The restaurant is fair-sized and you could easily accomodate a group of 10 or 12. We went late at night, so the lighting was pretty dim. For a Friday night, (although it had been the coldest night in the last few days) it wasn't that busy. We shared an order of Pad Thai and an order of Snowbird dumplings. The pad thai was definitely different from those found at LA thai places. The texture was much more softer, lacking the crunch of raw beansprouts, carrots, or cabbage. The flavor was also much milder as well. The Snowbird dumplings were mostly for show. They were undeniably cute, but for $8.95 for five dumplings... definitely something I wouldn't order again (unless I was with someone else who wanted to see them in person). We also ordered some Thai Iced Tea, which was rather good. I would probably rank it up in the top 3 or 4 Thai Iced Teas that I have had in my time in LA and in St. Louis. We then finished off the meal with some lychee sorbet. The sorbet was of good quality, not too icy, and you could definitely taste the lychee. Overall, it was a pretty good experience and I would definitely come back to try other dishes.
(4)Brittany W.
Great traditional Thai! Good quaint atmosphere
(4)Tony K.
Like the other reviews, nice quiet atmosphere and attentive wait staff. Dining room was a bit dated though, and beginning to smell its age. Food though was great. Both Chicken Tom Kha Soup (Chicken & Coconut Milk) and Tom Yum Talay (Mixed Seafood) were good, but not as good as some of my favorites over on the Illinois side of the Big Muddy. Thai Fried Rice with brown rice was especially good, especially for us diabetic types, a feature not often found in Thai restaurants. Overall, a good place to eat in Clayton.
(3)David G.
Being on the road quite a bit there is a routine of foods I like to eat. One being Thai. This is the first place in St. Louis that I've enjoyed having Thai food thus far. The food was very fresh and spiced just right. I got the Pad-Sew-U which was perfect. As the app I got the snowbird dumplings that everyone mentions, great presentation and great taste. I have to say the price was a little bit on the higher side but the food was good so I can't complain.
(4)Jonathan K.
This is some pretty great Thai food served with a classier ambiance in Clayton. The Snowbird Dumplings to start are a pretty cool dish, with the dumplings actually shaped into small snowbirds. I've never really seen anything like it. The Chicken Trio Nut is one of the best Thai dishes I've ever had, the sauce is very flavorful and not too spicy. I like the sauce so much that I actually put a little bit on my steamed rice, which tastes great. The Pad Thai is pretty good as well, and the Pad-See-U was just okay. The Sticky Rice and Mango here is also pretty delicious. The restaurant itself looks pretty nice inside, but it's usually almost uncomfortably quiet. Even if a few tables are full, for some reason it feels like everyone is often whispering, I can't really figure out why. The service has always been fine. For good Thai food, I prefer Blue Elephant to the Loop places by far. This is probably just about as good as you can do getting Thai in St. Louis.
(5)Stephanie I.
The first time I came here, I was not at all impressed. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, and it was not cooked well, not flavored well, and just not very good at all. I thought I'd never come back. But then tonight, a coworker wanted to try this place so I agreed to give it a second chance. I ordered the Pad Kee Mao Woonsen and it was SO good!! It was perfectly spicy and flavored, and I devoured the entire thing (haha). My coworker tried it and said it was better than her dish (she ordered Chicken Pad Thai), so maybe it's just their pad thai that isn't very good. But highly recommended that you try the dish I had!
(4)Sam E.
This is a nice place. Very clean. The food is good, however I prefer Manee Thai.
(3)Stacey L.
For a city that is sorely lacking in Asian food, Blue Elephant, is an oasis. It is a little pricier than the other Thai places in the city but it is 100% worth it. The ingredients and food is simply fresher and higher quality. I love the green curry (those afraid of spicy beware) and all of the noodles, particularly the pad see yew. I'd say this is the best Thai food in St. Louis hands down. (Note: "best IN ST. LOUIS"... not the US or what have you).
(4)Ya M.
Ordered two appitizers: crab/shrimp shumai, decent. Although more seafood than Asian cusine. Eggrolls, decent. Thai ice tea, tasted like it was from the can, (I just bought one from the Asian store on Grand last week, you can tell the difference between can and fresh made). Blue E. Thai's was from the can and WAYYYYY to sweet. They took that off the bill. We then ordered the Thai fried rice and Thai beef salad. Rice gets a 4/10. The Thai beef salad-complete fail. It had a funny oder, kind of like sewage or dirty dish towel, very unpleasant and quite nasty. I was thinking, am I going to get food posioning???...was so odd to place/figure out the smell. Anyhow, ate a bit of it, before I got completely grossed out. It was just not right. Not a real Thai beef salad by any means. Plus the smell was completely unforgiving. The place is kind of expensive too. Service was good tho, prompt/friendly people. Maybe a bit too prompt on the food tho, because it came out very fast. As if it had been pre-made, not "prepared" authentically. Maybe it was left overs. Anyhow, do yourself a favor, DO NOT GO HERE. Highly recommend Tong Phoons in Fairview Heights.
(1)Christopher W.
I'm not in the mood to be hyper-critical today, so I will go with the middle of the road three start rating. Living near the Loop, I've come to expect good Thai food. Blue Elephant is not in the Loop. So, why the three star rating instead of a two? The interior design is pleasing. The wait staff is nice. The prices are reasonable. The food was good for sustenance, but was St Louis average. The green curry was not disappointing, so much as it was underwhelming. However, I was pleased that they allowed us to replace the ranch dressing on the house salad with a peanut sauce. If you are a vegetarian, happen to be in Clayton, and need lunch for under $10, then Blue Elephant is A-OK. If not, then I'm sure you can find a spot a few miles east to experience better.
(3)Stephanie F.
I've only had some soup, cucumber salad, and thai iced tea, but those items were pretty good (but not the best I've ever had, hence four stars and not five). The staff really tried to accommodate my request for a "lighter" version of the soup and made sure my thai tea had the right amount of cream. I will go back and try other items.
(4)Jess B.
A little pricey, but worth it. I have been looking for a decent Thai place in St. Louis to remind me of Chicago, and this place definitely out performed even my favorite thai place at home. Pad See U was delicious and I can't wait for my leftovers tomorrow.
(4)Jonathan Y.
Great food and great presentation of the dishes. Maybe this should be a 5, because it's the best Thai food that's available in about a 20 mile radius (probably more?). Their curry is awesome and the different types definitely have a gradation in spiciness as opposed to each being a mere color difference or the difference between eating something not spicy and requiring a tongue graft later. I haven't had a bad dish there.
(4)Rob N.
I live in S.F., enjoy Thai, and was visiting St Louis so my mom suggested Blue Elephant for lunch. The chicken Phad Thai and Pad See-U were great but not spicy at all. They would be a great way to introduce someone to Thai. Friendly, quick service!
(4)Aaron J.
If you enjoy Thai food then you must try the Blue Elephant. The food there is most awesome. Going there for lunch or dinner is a wise choice if you are looking to have a nice meal. When I go there and eat I always like to have the Thai Spring Rolls. The rice paper rolls filled with vegetables and eggs are wonder. Of course, if you also have some Siamese Dumplings with them, then that is basically the best appetizer in the world that you can have. For my main course I ended up having the Pad Prik Beef. It tasted great. It was one of those meals where once you started to eat, you could just keep on going until you would explode. Because you only have so much that can fit on your plate, at sometime you have to stop, but you don't want to because it taste oh so good. The Blue Elephant is a great place to go and eat.
(4)Smart G.
I think the vocalization of rating in "A-OK," and "Meh. I've experienced better" is throwing me off. Don't they mean, basically, the same thing? If I think something is "A-OK," that means that I've definitely experienced better, right? Right? Never mind. Well, Blue Elephant is OK--I've experienced better. Honestly, what is with this city and Thai food? I've only visited a handful of Thai places here, and, to be honest, none of them were that good. Blue Elephant does get props for their decorative food flares--again, to be honest, even these weren't that impressive, but considering that not many restaurants take the time to even attempt this kind of thing anymore, they get a pass. However, I do feel like they were being a little too cute with the decorations. We ordered some kind of dumpling appetizer that came out decorated so that each dumpling looked like a chickadee (with a piece of carrot for a beak). Now, I've eaten everything from fish eyes to cow brains--I have no problem eating almost anything, but once I stabbed one of those chick-a-dumplings, causing it to cave in on itself, I couldn't take it. I ate one, but that was it. It was too disturbing. Oh, it also didn't help that it wasn't that good, and once again, too sweet (what the hell St. Louis?). I was worried that my green curry was going to come out disguised as a adorable baby panda with down syndrome, but lucky me, it just came out forgettable. Yay.
(3)Meredith G.
Just went to the Blue Elephant after years of just driving by it. It was over-priced and very average food. The server was nice but we had fruit flies all over our table. We finally asked to be moved and found that only half the flies joined us. We will probably never go back.
(1)Andrew K.
For the midwest, I was pleasantly suprised. The Thai food is quite authentic and tasty! Everything on the menu was delicious. They really should do away with tables that only seat 2 - there's never enough room on the table for all the food we order. Unfortunately, although I give this place 5 stars for food, I have to subtract one for cost. There are other places in the city that serve just as good Thai cuisine at two-thirds the cost.
(4)Nathan S.
Decent Thai food, clean and nice space, quick at lunch time, and an attentive and courteous wait staff. They do curries best. Pad thai was bland. Not a ton of Asian options in the area, but this is good enough to go whenever you got an itch.
(3)Foo B.
A beautifully decorated place with an elegant atmosphere. Each dish is intricately presented with hand carved vegetables and garnishes. The only disappointing part was the food. From the other reviews I was expecting an authentic experience. The pad thai we ordered was bland. It didn't even have a hint of spice! If you want real Thai food, I'd suggest Thai Kitchen in Maryland Heights instead. They are much cheaper too!
(3)mike l.
this isn't easy and probably not 100% fair, but I'm pretty sure Blue Elephant gave me food poisoning. we came in for an abbreviated dinner - soup & salad there, two entrees to go. I had the Tom Kha, sue had the Tom Yum and we split a papaya salad. all very good, yes yes. i got the garlic scallops and shrimp and ate it about two hours after we got home. 4 hrs later, I'm up and huddled over the business end of the toilet. The whole next day was spent shivering on the couch or bent over in the restroom interrupted by brief interruptions from The Food Network, ironically enough. take out that whole poisoning thing and it was spectacular!
(2)Ellen S.
Really good Thai food. Personally I would bump up the heat on the curries which seem to be more sweet than hot, but everything is quite delicious. Ten dollar corkage is nice, too.
(4)Bill C.
This used to be My favorite Thai place in St. Louis. Sadly it went downhill and I won't go there anymore
(2)Julia W.
Hooray for great Thai food in St. Louis! The Blue Elephant is actually the first Thai place I've ever visited in STL, so I can't compare to other spots in the city, but coming from my Chicago neighborhood where every corner hosts its own cheap Thai place, I feel I can make a good judgment on the quality of the food. It's good. Very good. A bit pricier than my $6 curry spots and $3.95 for six superb crab rangoon, but I'd say part of what you're paying for at Blue Elephant is the ambiance and service, both of which are lovely. And the presentation! The snowbird dumplings were these cutsey little birds, filled with a delicious spiced chicken filling and each plate presented was surrounded by intricately carved root vegetables - better yet, the presentation did not outdo the taste. My red curry was delicious, my husband's green curry made his nose run (always a good sign) and my in-laws both enjoyed their meals as well. My only minor complaint is with the crab rangoon. I've heard from multiple folks that you just can't find good rangoon in STL and while I'd say that Blue Elephant's rangoons were pretty good, they don't hold a candle to what I can find at numerous spots in Chicago for less money. But Blue Elephant still gets 5 stars because come on, crab rangoon isn't really Thai anyway. I've said it before - fried cream cheese can't be much else than fat-assed American, through and through. One thing to be proud of. :)
(5)Rob C.
The best Thai food in St. Louis hands down. Menu is not very extensive, but the food is excellent. Also, it's in Clayton, so the ambiance is decent, and the price is slightly higher accordingly. (I think it's better than King and I, Thai Bu Ree, Thai Country, Thai Gai, Sen Thai, etc.)
(5)Sarah L.
It has been three days since I ate at the Blue Elephant and I am still grinning and daydreaming about the Roast Duck Curry, and to a lesser extent the Chicken Satay. I loved this place: clean, intimate, quiet, delicious, and my curry portion was big enough to eat again the next day!
(5)Jessica L.
This is my favorite thai restaurant in the st. louis area, no question. The food is fresh and I really like the clean, relaxing atmosphere. Try the mango and sticky rice dessert, it's excellent.
(5)Michael H.
Pretty decent Thai food. Lunch menu is somewhat smaller, but comes with an appetizer and dessert (which change daily) that are usually quite good. Price is around $10 after tip for most of the lunch specials.
(4)