The Elephant Thai Bistro

Be aware of this place! You may be ripped off!

My sister and I went to Elephant and wanted to use the Restaurant coupon. We need to order minimum $35 in order to be qualified to use the coupon. So we ordered 1 appetizer and 3 dishes and thought the overall price should be around $50.

When we saw the check, we almost had a heard attack! It's $100 ! The thing is that there are two kinds of price for each dish listed on the menu. The waitress didn't ask us what size of dish and gave us ALL large size (believe me, it's not a big portion at all!).

Even though the food is not bad, I look down on the dishonest way of doing business.

There are other better choices of Thai restaurants. It's not worth it to pay double and ruin our dinner!

Pros: None

Cons: Dishonesty; Overpriced

Posted 07/01/09

Maybe I went on an off night, but I wasn't greatly impressed. The service wasn't great, and it was noisy and crowded. The food was tasty and had some unusual dishes. I have been to better Thai places in the East Village, especially for the price. A little overpriced for some good food, not the best.

Posted 05/29/08

Yeeee the Elephant is reopen and It still the best thai in town after 12 years existence . try the Best Salmon tartare in the city
The green cury chicken and the Pad thai.
The guys in the kitchen rock and I heard that they 've been working since the opening.
The music is fantastic because it is a medley of global music.
Please stay for another ten years.
And I heard that they might open another one in the upper east side.
Great food for catering also

Posted 05/26/08

I walked down 1st Street last night with the expectation of having a great dinner and my favorite drink(Wounded Elephant) to find that the restaurant is closed! Very sad and disappointed. I hope they re-open!

Posted 05/10/08

Went there with a few friends, had a lovely evening. What can I say, their food is good and the s ervice was friendly.

Pros: The green curry chicken is amazingly good.

Cons: Space

Posted 04/21/08

I have been going here for 7 years, and there is one manager who works Friday nights, who always ruins the experience for me. I love the food here, and the staff is great. As a regular, I am never going back if he is working.

This Friday we had reserved a table for ten, he acted as if he was doing us a favor by seating us...then he seated us and several other parties all at once so the servers weren't able to get to all the tables at once..., we had to wait 15 minutes to get a glass of wine.

Then at the end of the meal he tried to rush us out as we were taking care of the check. This has happened on another occasion when I had brought other friends to the restaurant. They were very upset, as were my friends on this occassion.

A good manager NEVER pushes out his clients so blatantly, no matter how busy the restaurant is. As someone who works in the service industry, my husband vowed never to come back. Seems like for this manager its all about the numbers, not the 10 clients who would continue to come back if he hadn't behaved so badly.

BEWARE

Posted 04/04/08

It's noisy, cramped, hectic, funky and the food is awesome - one of my favorite spots in the city for Thai food with spicy flair and good vibes.

Posted 04/01/08

We were a party of 4 without reservations and got a table right away. The ambiance was cozy and inviting. The food took a while to come out, but when it arrived it was delicious! Everyone in the group was happy with what they ordered- lots of vegetarian options as well. The menu offers a variety of options that all have an imaginative twist. The staff was friendly and helpful.

Pros: Food, Ambiance

Cons: If you're in a hurry this place might not work out.

Posted 02/14/08

While making the reservation, the manager was rude, but I tried to keep my cool. I said, "I hope all the trouble will be worth it." He said, "You don't have to eat here." That's cool. I said, "I'd like to try it anyway. I'll come at 7 with 3 people." I arrived to find a dark, hot, loud, uncomfortable, claustrophobic and shabby place that surprised me--the website was so slick.. and I didn't see a Thai person in the house. The manager reluctantly sat us. The server was a charming, pleasant French woman, a contrast with the manager. The food was overpriced and pedestrian. Had just returned from Southeast Asia and, honestly, none of the food here resembled what I had just eaten. I might have imagined the manager purposefully bumping into my chair during the evening, but I tried to ignore it. We tipped 15% for decent service, but didn't give more because of the manager's attitude. On my way out I said to him, "thanks for tolerating us tonight." He got up in my face, puffed out his chest and yelled at me. I asked him sarcastically, but smiling non-threateningly, hoping vainly to diffuse the tension whether he treated all his customers like that. Of course, I was just about to give the predictable answer myself when he replied, "when they are A**HOLES." I was so gratified to read on this site that other customers have had problems with this arrogant, angry man... With so many wonderful Thai restaurants in this city, please never waste your time or money at The Elephant.

Cons: Ambience, food, management

Posted 02/09/08

SO I went here on a whim and was really surprised to see the blue dream atmosphere but stayed to try it and to my happiness found that the food was delicious. The typical spice noodle was superb, light, yet spicy, which is great. And the eggplant dish was unlike usual eggplants that are slippery and tasteless. Contrary to other reviews however, the beverages were overly salty, but there were a lot of attractive people around. All in all a great find.

Posted 12/28/07

We had dinner there two weeks ago.

I was seated next to a bunch of wine bottles, and I started to touch one of the bottles to look at the name of the wine, but the waiter just yelled at me, saying "don't touch, it's wine, you're not allowed to touch it". Very nice, to treat you customers like this...

The rest of the service was average. So I decided to give a 16% tip, which is already ok, and to round the sum, I give them all the quarters and dimes I had with me. We just went out of the restaurant, but the owner of the restaurant just went out after me, and threw me the coins in the face, yelling : "you can take it back!"

I have never seen such a shocking service. It is a complete lack of respect to act like this. I will never return, and advise you never to go there, even if the food is pretty good.

Pros: Food ok

Cons: Horrible Service

Posted 03/30/07

I wish I read these reviews before it was too late. Went here with my husband on a Thursday night after a veeery long day and week - bad move. The place was cramped and LOUD. We were surrounded by drunk parties who practically swallowed us whole. They seemed to be having a great time, but we could barely keep a conversation going. That aside, the food was good. I found it not to be fusion (as someone already mentioned) - more like 2 cuisines under 1 roof. The moo shu chicken and spicy beef salad were really good and we walked out dazed from the ambiance but perfectly satisfied.

Pros: Moo Shu Chicken, Spicy Beef Salad

Cons: The bathroom, the pulling out of the tables in order to seat people.

Posted 03/17/07

The first thing that struck me about this place was how small it was. When you walk through the front door you are on top of the bar. It is even tighter in the dining area where waiters have to pull the table out for you to sit down. This was annoying as everyone had to move around when someone needed to get up during dinner.

Size of the restaurant aside, the food was spectacular. We got a couple different appetizers to share for the table and all were great. I highly recommend the SHRIMP DUMPLINGS (they were out of this world) and the SPRING ROLLS. For my main course I had the BEEF SALAD, which was a gamble that paid off. It was the best dish of the bunch.

Your best bet would be to go earlier in the evening (we got there at 6pm) as it is not very crowded.

Pros: Great Thai food

Cons: Cramped resturant

Posted 02/04/07

I used to adore this restaurant. I still love their food, but the past two times I've tried to go, it's just been much too crowded to be enjoyable. Try it on off-peak nights for tasty food and good specialty drinks. Expect cramped quarters whenever you go, though, as it is a tiny space crowded with small tables.

Pros: Tasty food and drink

Cons: Too small and gets extremely overcrowded

Posted 11/15/06

For all of you vegetarian down there, it's a great option. They have a very nice vegetarian selection on the back of their menu, don't miss it.

Pros: great vegetarian tasty food, very affordable

Posted 11/14/06

This restaurant is great for a casual date and lots of food sharing. The lychee martinis are delicious, and the food is really good. Get a bunch of appetizers and make a meal out of them! Lots of French-speakers milling around the bar, and the eye candy is nice too. Especially that bald bartender!

Posted 10/30/06

After reading some of the negative reviews I had to write about my experience as I could not disagree more. The food was amazing, we had a duck dish and the scallops they were both divine. We sat at the bar as we didn't know you could book (many places in the area have no reservation policies) but the bar staff were really friendly and the sangria was good too. Our meal took a little long to come but the bar tender gave us some free cocktails to tide us over. The vibe was really nice and it felt like we could sit there all night and they wouldnt mind. Highly recommend but reserve in advance.

Posted 10/16/06

OK french attitude is ok when the food is good. But when the food is not all that good you walk out feeling, ok these people are rude and i have to make a pit stop at duane reade for pepto to find some way to prevent hurling this stuff out.

Pros: Lousy service was the best part

Cons: Food was worse than service

Posted 07/22/06

We were meeting some friends(a group of 5) when my wife and me got there earlier. We were asked to be seated at the very tiny 8 seater bar till the entire party arrived while the restaurant only had 2 tables occupied. Being in the restaurant business myself I understood the reasoning for it (Tao does it too). However we had a third friend arrive with no place to sit. Asked if we could get a table now, the server seemed totally not interested in seating us and had to check with the owner/manager (who I gather now must be a control freak). Anyway we get a table and order some appetizers from one of the waitresses who was pleasently nice. However when the party was complete we had the other waitress come over who said that we had to order all the food at once and couldnt order just appetizers. As bizzare as it may seem to most of us who go out very often to eat, this is the first time I heard something like this. Anyway the company was good so I figured we make the most of it. The shrimp dumplings were awesome, crab cakes terrible, tom yum soup good. Our main course arrives and I was suprised to see the beef salad very dry and cold. Although it was a salad it was supposed to be grilled. Oh not to forget, we ordered a pitcher of Sangria $26 or $28 it was these horrifying when she came over with a small mini 16 oz pitcher. Anyway we were rushed towards the end of the meal as they had people waiting and conversation and interaction with the patrons (especially if they were new or unfamiliar to the staff) was at a minimum. We gave a 15% gratuity but believe me I am never going to reccommed this to a good friend. Don't let the impressive cool website mislead you. A message for the chef/owner/ manager: Read all these comments posted here and start working on the weak points, its not too late. I understand you are located in a very casual somewhat bohemian part of town however the attitude is completely 5th ave.

Pros: Many other choices around the neighborhood

Cons: Do you really want to know?

Posted 06/16/06

Went here with my wife for our 9th anniversary. The waitress didn't seem to know anything about the menu, she forgot our drinks, took away our wine list after I asked to keep it, and then said, "I'm sorry, I only slept 3 hours last night." I work at a restaurant in Soho and if I said that to a table I would be fired. The food was good, but it was extremely rushed. The waitress was VERY aware that we were displeased but never sent a manager over to try to calm us down or make things better. She offered my wife a free glass of wine, which was just too little too late. It was really lousy wine too.

Pros: Food

Cons: Service, Wine by the glass

Posted 03/07/06

Although the Elephant is trumped as a French/Thai place I feel that most of the dishes are french with some ever so slight asian infusions while other dishes are just plain thai. It is not so much a fusion of the two cuisines as a restaurant that offers two different types of food. That being said, The Elephant has EXCELLENT food. The Duck confit came with mashed yams (with crystalized caramel in it) and a bed of sauteed greens. The summer roll appetizer I had was pretty standard. My dining companion had the bass which was delicous as well. Drinks are very inventive, cocktails moreso than wines. Dessert was delicious and creative. Service was excellent. The Elephant is always packed and I had never known why. Now I do. The secret is excellent food and service at great value prices.

Pros: Excellent Food, Excellent Service, Good Prices

Cons: Cash Only, Always Packed

Posted 01/23/06

Arrived with 3 friends on a Sat. night with a reservation and had to wait at the bar for about 20 minutes. Space was so tiny and cramped that we must have gotten shoved back and forth at the bar area every 2 minutes by people walking in and out. The restaurant is just not well designed and there isn't enough space to be comfortable. If you are claustophobic this is not the restaurant for you. Once seated, they had to entirely pull out our table for people to wedge in behind it to be seated and you can't get out without moving the entire table - very inconvenient. Space aside, service is ok but the food is really well done. Crab cakes, pad thai, fish, etc were all delicious and very flavorful. Would definitely go back on a week night when crowds are (hopefully) not as bad.

Pros: flavorful cuisine

Cons: CRAMPED space, way too warm, unromantic ambiance

Posted 12/16/05

Beem digging The Elephant for over 5 years. I had not been there in about 3 years, though, so I looked up the reviews here. I was really worried after all of the bad service reports, but I was very happy to recieve prompt, competent service and impeccable food. I think this place must get too busy at times and the staff has failed to handle things decently, but we got them at a good time: the end of summer just before school starts is a traditionally slow time for restaurants. Also, hopefully, whatever caused their poor performances before may have been addressed at last.

All I can say is that I've always had a blast there and just now was no exception. Sometimes being too poplular can ruin a spot, but there is a reason why The Elephant gets so packed: a great product.

Pros: Great food!, Goofy drinks, Personality

Cons: Loud music, Cramped, Aloof

Posted 09/11/05

RUDE, RUDE, RUDE. Got my order wrong - twice and then stopped trying - never brought my food out. It was a special occasion and we should have chosen another place. Tight, cramped space where you can't even put your purse down as you are packed in like sardines. Awful experience. These guys need to get over the french attitude.

Pros: none

Cons: rude, crowded, service

Posted 07/29/05

I've been going to The Elephant for years now and have always loved it. I recently went with an 8:30 reservation for 3 on a Saturday. The manager/host person was very rude, unhelpful, and after waiting an hour he promised us the very next table... which he then proceeded to give to someone else. Needless to say, we left. However, the food here is fantastic. It is very flavorful and exotic, unlike any other place I've been. The pork chops are probably the best I've had anywhere! If you can deal with some pretentious unfriendly service, I would recommend this place.

Pros: Food, Cool Scene

Cons: Service

Posted 05/18/05

the horrible manager and waitress hurried us through the entire meal, were ridiculously rude and unfriendly. we felt stressed as we ate in 20 minutes. when i left a tip of .50 less than 15% of the meal, (because that's what she deserved), the waitress actually chased me out of the restaurant and demanded the rest of her tip. i gave her $5 more and walked away shocked at my own wimpiness. eat here if you you'll suck up poor service for decent food. the chef's decent, too bad he/she is so badly represented up front.

Posted 04/07/05

We had reservations and when we showed up the manager told us the wait was over 45 mins. He was rude and crazy. Not only that, he lied when I spoke to him the phone. He said that we should be on time because they have a strong policy about being late. Elephant was crowded and people were pushing each other around. Finally we left and went to a place next door.

Cons: crowded, bad service

Posted 02/14/05

5 friends from europe were in town. We ordered dinner. My duck came and the server spilled hot greasy sauce all over my lap and my friends' lap. Manager apologized, offered to pay for dry cleaning, but nothing else. Throughout the night it was tough to get drink orders in as well. At end of the night, I tipped $35 on $300 bill. We left the restaurant and were chased out to the street where the manager said "why was the tip so low - i mean, i know about the duck" and I said "that's it- the duck" and he said "I offered to pay for dry cleaning" and I said "you just did". he embarrassed himself, he embarrassed me, and he painted a terrible picture of new yorkers at a time when USA needs all the good PR from Europeans it can get.

Pros: nice decor

Cons: rude service, bad value

Posted 02/07/05

One of the most terrible dining experiences I have ever had! From the moment my party walked in the door, the owner of the restaurant was rude and for lack of a better word, mean. He was heard yelling at numerous people in the place, and actually told my friend to shut up. We had a reservation for 6 people at 8:30 and didn't get seated until almost 10pm. Our waitress was nice and the service was quick, and I should say that the food was great, but the owner ruined it all! I would not recommend this place unless it is 2:00 in the afternoon, and you were the only customers in the place. And even then, the owner might just decide to yell and curse at you for no reason! DO NOT go if you are more than 4 people...you'll wait forever!

Pros: food

Cons: , tight space, reservations

Posted 01/15/05

My first visit here was divine, mostly because I was willing to look past the tight space and focus on the food. The salmon tartar was de-lish as was the Chilean sea bassevery bite revealed a new texture and flavor. I couldnt wait to go back. However I soon realized my rush in judgment upon my second and albeit last visit, when I had the misfortune of meeting the owner...being rude to patrons is ill advised. To illustrate, he chose not to honor my dinner reservations and then he sat my party of 5 at a table suitable only for 4. When I thought it couldnt get any worsehe surprises me by laughing in our faces. He was not accommodating at all and the handful of dishes I sampled that night failed to compare to anything you would find elsewhere in the city for less than half the price.

Cons: , Confined Space

Posted 08/12/04

A great place for a laid-back first date. It is crowded and noisy, but the food is good and if someone doesn't like the communal feel then I don't want to date them anyway.

Posted 07/27/04

Beware...this place is terrible when it comes to service. Came here for a b-day and ended up waiting so long even for a reservation. The waitress was rude and not courteous at all. The manager is disgustingly obnoxious. Guess people were not wrong when they say French people are rude. The food is not worth the price nor the service at all. Do not attempt to eat here at all !!!

Cons: , Crowded, Ambiance

Posted 06/26/04

My bf took me here on our 2nd date and I was hooked after that. Maybe its not someone's ideal quiet, stare into each other's romantic setting but it has that exotic, smoky-sexy, fun type of ambiance. The food is my favorite. I can't get enough it. I ordered 3 entrees one time because I just couldn't decide (don't get me wrong they are pretty big dishes) and made my bf help me finish it all. The owner is great and the service is great. I've been going there monthly for the last two years and have not had a bad experience.

Pros: Decor, Decent size Dishes, Fun

Posted 05/18/04

This place can be a total blast if you're in the right mood. I'd never before been to a place where your table is actually touching the person's next to you, but this makes between-table conversation almost a necessity! You end up having a party with the other people there! The food was great too, very interesting stuff. It can get kinda loud, so I wouldn't recommend coming here if you have a lot to talk about. Come for the atmosphere and yummy French-Thai food!
P.S. It definitely helps if you speak (decent) French to the owner. You may get a table faster!

Pros: scene, food, service

Cons: , small

Posted 03/30/04

Minute place, so don't imagine a large eatery. Good service and nice food. Music was very interesting, although almost passé. Good food and well-prepared drinks. The owner was there, checking everything out. Go there, have fun and enjoy 1st Street. It's a great spot at one of the best unknown streets in Manhattan.

Pros: Ambiance, Menu, Owner's service

Posted 01/30/04

I make the above statement obviously from a personal experience. I'm still with the guy I met that first date at the Elephant. Call it bias or whatever else those dissenting customers have proclaimed but I will always attribute one of the most memorable nights of my life to this restaurant. The food was good, the atmosphere buzzing and I don't know who bitched about the service but we were served well. Drinks were always at hand, the wait for a table was barely over ten minutes (have you entered without reservation at some of the other places in this damn city!??) and overall very friendly. I endorse this restaurant wholeheartedly and I'm going back there on my one-year anniversary.

Pros: Nice Crowd, Good Food, Ambience

Posted 01/15/04

Yes, the Elephant can be noisy and crowded at times and it's fast paced but it's always a party. The host is often crazy and so is the bar but it's fun and it's easy to make friends there. The staff is very sweet and attentive even if it's busy. I always have a blast. And the food's not bad eather.

Pros: drinks, musik, staff

Cons: crowded

Posted 12/15/03

this place is such a waste of time. you wait forever for a table only to be seated practically right next to someone else. the food is way overpriced for what they were serving. i don't see the difference between their dishes and other thai dishes in the area for half the price down the street. i ordered the sticky rice wrap and it came cold. staff was not friendly and neither were the wannabes that crowds the front (bar) of the restaurant.

Cons: overpriced, over crowded

Posted 09/29/03

I would never go back to this restaurant, even if someone offered me money!! The host was rude and obnoxious. We were moved twice and the check was bought to our table before we even finished our meal. Before we can even order desert, the waitress comes and tells us we have to leave because the host wanted our table...it was a Tuesday night. And I find out from my friends that they've received similar service in the past- cannot believe how anyone would go back...in NYC, you can get similar quality food at similar prices in a lot of other places!!

Cons: Horrible service

Posted 07/07/03

The food here never disappoints. The space is small and the service is only average, but the food makes up for it.

Go for dinner on a weeknight!

Posted 06/04/03

The food was excellent. But don't expect to be able to hear your date. The restaurant was very loud and very crowded so you were basically ontop of your neighboring table. BUT, the food was really good and flavorful.

Pros: Flavorful

Cons: Expensive

Posted 05/14/03

Found it just walking around the neighborhood. What a gem! Great ambiance. The food was fantastic, the crab cake app delicious, if you like heat have the BBQ Salmon. Prices are extremely resonable and the wine list very eclectic. The service was amazing and so attentive considering the place filled up within 15 minutes of our arrival. Have that housemade Chocolate Cake dessert. It will cool everything off beautifully.

Pros: great food, wonderful service, tempting Martinis

Cons: gets very loud, tight quarters

Posted 04/29/03

What makes The Elephant stand out as a restaurant worthy of return visits is the fact that the food's delicious flavors are also unique and memorable. I am referring specifically to the crabcake appetizer (the best my companion and I have ever had) and the beef salad. Moreover, the drinks are strong enough to make you forget the cramped quarters and the desserts are the perfect way to cool off your palate at the end of the meal. I really don't comprehend the presence of negative reviews.

Posted 04/17/03

I arrived before my group for dinner and was told to wait at the bar until my party was complete. After scrunching into the tiny bar area and ordering a drink, I was annoyed but couldn't help but notice the handsome bartender having a tete-a-tete with another French-speaking cutie. Turns out the owner and waiters parlent francais as well. Oh yeah, the food's just alright for the price.

Posted 04/03/03

Tiny place but with a clever design. They utilize every inch of the room. Food is very good. (Bordering on over-priced) Typical host (with the French sounding accent) who does a good job cramming you in. Try this place at an off peak time.

Pros: good food

Cons: cramped

Posted 01/21/03

Recently went with some friends, service was great (the waitress and the owner both very friendly), the food was both delicious and presented beautifully. Very cute, I'll go again. (If you like coconut, try the coco martini

Posted 01/21/03

although the wait can be long, and you sit only an inch from the next table, the food and lively atmosphere make this place a winner. really delicious.

Pros: good food

Cons: wait for tables, cramped

Posted 01/11/03

Cramped quarters, and the wait can be a nightmare at times, but if you have the patience, the food is well worth it. Fun, party-like atmosphere (loud), but lots of energy. Always packed, so be prepared to wait a bit.

Pros: food, fun atmosphere

Cons: crowdede, loud, service

Posted 12/06/02

Perfect place to get a drink and a delicious, exotic bite before heading to the Sunshine theatre or the Lower East Side----convenient location. A good one to keep in mind for the hood.

Pros: great location, good drinks, tasty bites

Posted 10/17/02