Review White Elephant Thai Cuisine - Calgary

Some of the best food I have ever had. This little hole in the wall in NE Calgary is just outstanding. The new renovations on the inside look great, the staff is friendly and their food is the best Thai food in YYC. It is family shared style plates and it will blow you away time and time again.

Great flavours and portions. I love the masaman curry and the chicken pad Thai. You will have enough food for next day leftovers. The service is fast and the waiters are amazing!

First time visiting here from Edmonton Tom yum was incredible, best I've had in my life! Chilly fish was also excellent! Last meal we had was pad thai, was pretty good, maybe a bit too sweet for my taste Overall amazing food and service as well, can't wait to come back again!

Great food all round. Had the famous Thai milk tea, green curry with sticky rice and pad sew. Everything tasted as good as I ever had. I love Thai food and this definitely meets my expectation. They need to move to a better place for sure. The entrance is like a back of a shady motel. The food is great but the location and atmosphere should be a lot better.

Cute little place, once we found the front door. Staff was all very friendly however they were out of stock on a thai beer and had to go check every time we ordered something else. Had the Pad Thai, portion was huge which was great however to us the sauce tasted a bit ketchup based. Husband ordered Peanut stir fry, it was fantastic. We will be back to try a few more things.

After hearing several people tell about this place, we finally made it! It was GREAT! Besides it not being hot and no sweating, it felt like we were in Thailand! We had the Pad Thai, Green Curry and Papaya Salad. All were delicious! Great place! Totally recommended!

Top three for Thai food in Calgary, for me! Quality is consistent and great value. Pictured are the Thai Golden Tofu, Thai Chicken Satay, Thai Veggie Spring Rolls and Spicy Noodle.

Fantastic food. Very flavorful, not sweetened excessively like other places. When you walk in, you wonder if you're in the right place, they lead you to the dining room which is very nice. I had the Pad Thai, another party at the table had a noodle dish I can't remember. So flavorful, very authentic, and hot in temperature, and spice (as requested)

Absolutely love this Thai restaurant. The flavors are amazing and the restaurant offers a beautiful dining experience. Can't say enough. My fave in Calgary

It's tucked into the Airport Traveller's Inn Hotel. I had some of the best authentic thai dishes here. I went with my family. You need to go early to get a spot because it fills up quickly on the weekends. But it's worth the wait if you have to wait in line. We got the pineapple fried rice with chicken ( you can choose your own meat), a noodle dish that came with crispy fried noodles that you add into this coconut sauce that had vegetables and your choice of meat accompanied by a plate of thinly sliced red onion, bean sprouts, lime and a chili oil. We also tried this dish that was called garlic chicken or something like that because it had tons of fried garlic with your choice of meat we got garlic and it was amazing. All the food was very flavorful and filling. Each dish can be shared by atleast three people because they have good sized portions. I highly recommend this place.

Very flavourful! Even the westernized pad Thai is decent, though the green curry (with chicken) is the winner. Excellent quality & quantity. (4.5/5)

This hidden gem (and I do mean hidden) has some of the best Thai in the city. I was first discouraged by the fact that the entrance is a hole in the wall of a seedy looking hotel. The line-up just inside that door, and a small trophy case of local foody awards was encouraging, but it’s still a hallway in this seedy looking hotel. Then you get inside... it’s like being transported to another destination (probably Thailand) entirely. They had me the moment I smelled what was being cooked. We had the green curry, pad thai, and stir fry with soup and spring rolls. It was all excellent, from the service to the decor. Wow. Highly recommend. 😋

Best Thai food in the city. Flavors so Rich and food so fresh and food comes out nice and hot. Great portions too! Friendly staff, feels like family. I can’t will my next visit!

This was our first visit here & we were taken by a friend. It would of been hard to find (hidden entrance) if our friend didn’t take us, but it was definitely worth it!!! <br/><br/>It is a small restaurant with beautiful decor and when you walk in — it smells amazing! Luckily, they did not disappoint! The service was very good btw. We liked that they didn’t bug us too frequently, or usher us out either, because we stayed for a few hours. <br/><br/>The food is perfect, and I don’t say this lightly. We ordered the Pad Thai w/ chicken, the Curry Pineapple Rice w/ chicken, and the Pad Se Ew w/ chicken. The food takes a bit to cook since they actually prepare it fresh, but we didn’t mind as they were busy and it tasted delicious!!! The curry in particular was a surprise that I liked it because I normally am not a curry-lover, but this had a lot of flavour without being overwhelming. The portions are definitely excellent too. We could of easily ordered only 2 dishes for the 3 of us (but that’s okay cause we love leftovers).<br/><br/>We are 100% going to go back. We’re actually going to take my parents in about 2wks when they visit from out of town. We highly recommend this restaurant.<br/><br/>PS for us, it was about $60/3ppl including 1 drink each.

Their portion sizes are fantastic. We love thai food, and some of the other places are pretty expensive for what they give you. We actually had leftovers after ordering for a party of 5. The food could use a bit more salt (for my liking) but it was delicious, the curry especially! I appreciate their wide range of gluten-free options too :)

White elephant is Thai restaurant, it is located inside of a hostel, it might be difficult to find at first. You need to walk into the hostel and enter the restaurant, there is no other entrance. <br/><br/>We visited before the opening because they do not take reservation but it gets really busy on weekend. As we thought, within 30 min from opening, all the table were filled. <br/><br/>We tried pad Thai noodle with shrimp, some skewers, noodle with coconut curry, and Tom yum goon the seafood spicy and sour soup. <br/><br/>Our favorite was the soup, we ordered large and they weren’t kidding, it was large, almost like a whole pot. And it tasted delicious! It was not too spicy, but very flavorful with big shrimp inside. I definitely recommend you to order this soup. <br/><br/>Pad Thai was not my style, I like the one without tomato sauce, and this restaurant only offered the one with tomato sauce. It was sweet and flavorful, but not my favorite. Besides, the noodle was thin and a bit overcooked. The noodle was stuck together and after a while became unable to eat like noodle. The good thing was, again, the potion size was very generous. <br/><br/>Skewers were just ok, it comes with peanut sauce. <br/><br/>And the noodle with curry was also ok. Noodle was crunchy and the sauce was not spicy, it’s very rich and creamy. It almost reminded me Chinese style deep fried noodle with sauce dish but with coconut curry on top. <br/><br/>Overall, the food was nice and the service was very good. Price wasn’t very cheap but the potion size was really big. <br/>

White Elephant is well known for its Thai food in Calgary. I had a chance of trying this place out for the 1st time. Their interior space is rather small and can only fit around 10 tables so I would recommend visiting when they open as they don't take reservations. We tried the chicken skewers, spicy noodles, fish curry, and green curry. Chicken skewers were okay, chicken was a little dry, but the flavors were nice (curry with a side of peanut /coconut sauce for dipping). The spicy noodles had a good mix of green / red peppers, gai lan and onions but a little too sweet for my taste (practically eating sugar). The fish curry was tasteless and had no seasoning (breading was also hard on the bottom), and the green curry was okay but a little too watery. We paid over $70 for our dishes which wasn't too bad (skewers was around $12). Overall, the food here is only okay hence the rating.

I’ve never had Thai food with such authentic flavours out of this world. The space inside the hotel makes you feel like your in a little piece of Thailand and the staff are amazing people🌶🌶

Decided to try White Elephant Thai Cuisine for my birthday dinner the other night after reading all of the great reviews. It did not disappoint! The food came out quickly after we ordered and everything was delicious! The yellow curry, coconut rice, and pad Thai were my favourites. The green curry, red curry, and fried rice were also really yummy. The portion sizes were huge! All 6 of our party left incredibly full, but we still had lots of left overs. Don’t let the location fool you, this place is an absolute gem!

I cannot recommend this place enough! So delicious and spicy. The servings are huge and the atmosphere is quaint. I have never recieved bad or even mediocre service the multiple times I have eaten here. I have had both red and green curry, the pad Thai, Satay skewers, spring rolls, and the basil stir fry with shrimp and everything is fantastic. Don't be scared away by the restaurant being in a hotel that is... Rundown.

Based on the big portion of the food and prices, I could have given more than 4.5. It’s a cozy place with quite delicious food. A bit noisy but that’s not sth I mind. Spicy noodle was a little bit too sweet. Tom yum soup would be better if they served when it’s piping hot. Iced tea was good but a bit too sweet and you can choose to put less sugar in it as it’s inside of the teabag already. These are the small suggestions only. We really enjoyed food there! And will go back for sure!

Absolutely fantastic food! Large portions. You want to get here early as there was a line out the door and a small seating area. It's located in a hotel with a very discreet side door entrance.

After hearing much about this place, and reading mixed reviews, I finally came for dinner. If you're looking for a romantic restaurant or a place with a nice ambience, this is not the restaurant for you. If you're looking for great food with tons of flavor and quick service, this is the place! The massive portions can be best described as family style size, where one dish can feed 3 to 4 people. The menu is smaller and more limited than other Thai restaurants I have been to, but this is how they are able to serve the food relatively quickly. We ordered the chicken panang curry, chicken matsaman curry, coconut rice and beef pad se-ew. Everything was delicious, flavorful and there were plenty of leftovers to take home. We wanted to order the green curry however they were already out of it by the time we got there. Will come again, but most likely for take out...didn't care for all the flies flying around the tables while eating our dinner.

The food is awesome here. The shrimp dish is my favourite and the red curry dish. Pair it with coconut rice. The food tastes very fresh. You either have to arrive early or get take out. The line up get ridiculous and you can not make a reso. Last time i was there is took almost 2 hours before we ate and they ran out of the spring rolls we ordered but didnt tell us until our main food came.

Nothing but delicious food here... I've been to Thailand 5 or 6 times in the past 2 years and I'm not even sure I can find food THIS good there! Let me just real-iterate... Thailand has amazing food all over it, I can't deny that.... that's hard to find, is a place that is THIS GOOD!!! I will be back, again and again!

Went today for impromptu dinner. It was easy to find contrary to what a lot of ppl have said. We got there at about 650pm. Got seated right away. Place was pretty packed for a wedneaday night. Took about 10 mins for someone to come take our order and then another 25 mins to get our food. So service is slow but not super slow. We ordered dynamite shrimp stir fry ($17) small coconut rice ($4) and shrimp pad thai ($16) and can of coke ($2.50) pretty expensive can of pop. the food portion size was great and the shrimp were jumbo. This is probably the best thai food we had in calgary. The pad thai was a bit too tamarindy but still good. We will probably go bak but on the weekdays cz i can imagine how busy and slow it will on the weekends. Oh they take debit and cash for some reason i thought it was cash only so had to hunt down a bank first.

Food was sooo good. The place can only be best described as charming... but seriously, the food was amazing. Did not want to stop eating, and wish we had more people with us so we could try all of the menu items. Portions are so generous too.

Incredible food - don't let the humble exterior fool you. We tried the spring rolls ($8.95 for 6), Matsaman Curry with Beef ($16), Green Curry with Chicken ($16), Pad Thai with Prawns ($16), and Chicken Basil Stir-Fry ($15.50). Despite what I'd read here, the service was actually very fast. The portions were absolutely massive and very generous (especially compared to most other Thai restaurants in the city). Everything was incredibly delicious: the spring rolls were perfectly crispy, the Matsaman was rich and flavourful, the green curry was vibrant and had just the right amount of heat, the Pad Thai had a perfect balance of salty, sweet, and sour, and the chicken basil stir fry was wonderfully garlicky and savoury. I was impressed with the quality (and quantity) of the meat - all of it tender and beautifully cooked. This is by far some of the best Thai food in Calgary - definitely worth a visit. I know I'll be back!

Don't see why this place is rated so high. Tried this restaurant based on the recommendations here.. but found it to be very ordinary thai food, lacks flavor. Definitely not worth the trip... better Thai restaurants in Calgary compared to this place.

So so so busy!!! And for good reason. The food is good and the portions are a good size. I've only ever ordered takeout and even with the chaos of orders they still manage to stay super friendly. Love love love their papaya salad!!! So addicting and spicy!!

My favourite Thai restaurant…beat the crowds by visiting mid week. Step 1: find the Traveller’s Inn Motel. Step 2: Take the narrow hallway. Step 3: Pass the restaurant award showcase and accolades. Step 4: ENJOY!. I would highly recommend the green curry with eggplant and shrimp pad sew.<br/>This restaurant is by far my favourite go-to for Thai in the city. Well worth the effort in finding it!

I am not really sure why this restaurant is getting such great reviews.  I ordered Pad Thai for takeout last night and found it to be really ordinary.  In fact, it was very bland and boring.  Maybe I need to try again and order something different.

Fabulous food. Great service. I'll definitely be back. Monster size shrimp on Pad Thai. Orange chicken was spicy you must have coconut rice. Mmmmmm

Fantastic bouquet of flavors throughout their Tom Yum soup. Such deliciousness! The only con- picking out the large chunks of lemongrass and ginger throughout the soup. I love the flavor but not actual chunks of each.

Amazing place !!!! Food and service is great. One of my favourite places in calgary. Would highly recommend trying. The place is small and cute and always busy because their food is delicious!!

My family and friends love to have dinnera at the white elephant. It's a small restaurant and it gets busy but the flavour is unbelievable. It is definitely is one of the best Thai restaurant in town. The owner is a very nice guy and always checks in and he always brings in fresh ingredients. <br/><br/>However, my recent experience was really disappointing. When my friends and I were seated it took 20 minutes before a server came and said hello or took our orders. It was a busy day so we didn't mind but we had been waiting 45/50 minutes thereafter and there were no food in sight or a server. People sat after us had gotten their appetizers etc and we had waters. We couldn't flag down a server so we went up to the front. <br/><br/> A young guy, who I believe is a son of the owner was dismissive and kept rolling his yes at us. When we voiced our concern about the poor service, he had said 'that's how it is and you only ordered 40 minutes ago' and proceed to say even the reviews online had said the wait was long so it should not be a surprise. We expressed how his behavior was unexpected and rude. At this point we wanted to speak to the manager/owner, he prompted to say he was the manager and if we don't like it we needed to leave his facility. Which was very insulting and demeaning. I'd understand if we were crude, disrespectful and using foul languages but my girlfriends and I were returning customers just inquiring about our order and the lack of service. <br/><br/>We won't be returning this facility as their other Thao restaurants with great food and even better service.

My friends and I have been wanting to try this place for a while so we decided to come early and wait by the door until they opened. We ordered way too much as I was shocked at their serving size. They have the biggest serving size of Thai food in town! Our food came 45 minutes after ordering but I gave them the benefit of the doubt that it was a busy Saturday night. Food was amazing and I strongly suggest you try their tom yum soup! They have the best soup that I have ever tasted! The prices are fair for the huge, huge amount of food we get and they do not cheap out on the protein like most places do. It will fill the plate!<br/>We came back for a week night and the food came faster than the last time so I guess the weekends are very busy. Like before, we ordered way too much and had left overs again!

Food is absolutely amazing and the portions are huge. Bring an appetite and a friend, the wait is worth it for the yummy food and the large amount of it. Only debit or cash. Service is good, may be a bit slow when really busy but still good.

They had one of the best tom yum soups I've ever tasted. So many layers of flavor. It's because they cook it with so many different herbs and vegetables e.g. ginger, lemon leaf, tomatoes, lemongrass, chicken, thai paste, chicken broth maybe, mushrooms, etc.<br/><br/>Large portions. Would try again. <br/><br/>Service is a bit wack. Every time I dined here, they would mess up my order.

This little hole in the wall has the best Thai food I've ever tasted in Calgary. I was here with a few friends and we tried the Pad Thai, Chicken fried rice, cashew chicken stir fry, and matsamman beef curry. Everything was absolutely delicious and so flavourful.The portions sizes were great too. The only thing to make note of is that the wait times to get a table was fairly long and the food took about 30 minutes or so to arrive. So definitely don't visit when you are very hungry. I will definitely be back to try more from their menu!

Went there today and there was another Manager (Younger asian male in his twenties) his name was Dween and this was the worst experience I've had at the restaurant. Our order was put in 1 hour ago and still other people  who came in after were getting their plates before us. We asked our waitress to check our order status who never came back to clarify with us.  When we spoke with the Manager, instead of apologizing for forgetting our order he stated "a one hour wait is standard for us here," and refused to accept that they simply had forgotten our order which was not a big deal if dealt correctly. The customer service was shit for a lack of a better word. Utter shit. And when we told the manager that him rolling his eyes at us and walking away when we were talking to him was unacceptable.  He asked us "well you guys can go."  I don't know what happened to the original manager, but this inexperienced one is tainting the place and I will certainly not be offering them my time and money.

The wait to get into this place on a Saturday night was crazy, but I can see why! The food was absolutely outstanding and on par with Pad Thai I had while visiting Thailand. The portions are behemoth so only order one thing or bring a bunch of friends. I can't wait to go back.

Amazing experience! We stayed at a hotel nearby and with such amazing reviews we had to try it. Veggie spring rolls, tom yum koong, and prawn pad Thai. Some of the best dishes I've ever had. Very quick takeout and really great pricing. Huge portions so it's truly an amazing value. Would say their spicy level is a very accurate, would order on the milder side of what you're used to. Would recommend to anyone !

Hands down my favorite thai restaurant in Calgary. My first visit was during a winter night and I was somewhat skeptical that I this place would be as fantastic as it is. I go back many times a year, the only frustration is that there is always a line. So be prepared and arrive early an not to hungry. The green curry is delicious and pad Thai's are great too. Worth the wait!

This is the definition of a hole in the wall, but the kind you absolutely cannot miss. I give it a 4.5 because the service is functional, but not a focus. The food - authentic flavours, quality and generous portions- is why you come. The portions are triple to quadruple the size of most Thai places in Calgary. We had the beef pad see ew, panang curry, and mango salad as they were out if papaya. We selected four out of four spice level, and it was actually almost too spicy for me (my own bad), which never happens at restaurants because the western-palate spice level is usually not enough to shrug me. Everything was excellent and great value for money. Make sure you get a large rice for your curry as the dishes are massive!

Great Thai food.  Authentic, GREAT pricing, and amazing flavors.  My only issue is with how busy the place gets.  Kinda wished they would open a second location or expand something!!! I would be eating here every week, if I knew for sure I could always get a seat.

This is the best Thai food I've ever had and I lived in Montreal for 9 years, Toronto for 4 years and I spent a month in Southeast Asia (2 weeks Thailand). <br/><br/>We had the khao soi (very hard to find at most Thai restaurants) and the "mountain of shrimp (actually prawn)" which has a fantastic tamarind sauce clearly prepared in-house. The khao soi was the best I've had anywhere. <br/><br/>This place will definitely be on my return list for future travels in Calgary.

Waited over an hour for food. When we inquired about the status of our order the waiter looked confused, left, proceeded to blame the other waitress. We were still left with no explanation about what happened and no apology or acknowledgement of fault. Our inquiry about how long our food would take fell on deaf ears. They literally walked away as we were trying to ask how much longer we would have to wait. Probably could have flown to Thailand, eaten, done some shopping, and then flown back... Because they forgot my order.

By far the best Thai food in calgary. Get here early though because there will be a line. We just order take out now so we can still enjoy the food without having to wait for a table.

Heard about this place from a number of friends and said it was amazing. Read some of the reviews and was skeptical. My friend and I decided to go out for dinner and wanted to try this place. We got there before it opened at 5pm and the side door was locked so we walked thru the hotel lobby down the hallway and waited. This restaurant is located inside Airport Traveler's Inn right beside the Denny's. We were 2nd in line to get in. It was actually nice once inside and not as shady as other has noted before. It is quite small and only seats about 40 or so ppl. They don't take reservations but I can understand why cuz within 10-15 of us being there the restaurant was filled! We ordered Thai spring rolls, red Thai curry with beef and eggplant side of large coconut rice and chicken pad thai. Everything was really tasty and the portion was massive! We both had tons of leftovers to take home. They now take debit as well as cash. I recommend going early since everyone else will be going there too. Totally recommend this place. <br/>

Having been to Thailand twice and travelling through multiple cities, I can say that white elephant is the closest you will get to authentic Thai food, in Calgary. The owners are Thai, and chatted with me and told me they fly back to buy a lot of their spices, and you can tell. We love the beef green curry, papaya salad, coconut rice and pad Thai, but everything on the menu is amazing. The service at white elephant has gotten much MUCH better. It was very slow in the past, but when we visited last week, the food came out fairly quickly, and to top it off, the previous cash only establishment now also takes debit :)

AMAZING FOOD AND PORTION SIZE!!!! We went to dinner with a group of 3 in the evening. The restaurant service was absolutely shit. They don't come to check on you. We had to call our server to our table after a 20 min wait to take our order. Our server seemed very annoyed whenever we asked him questions. Our food took 1 1/2 hours to arrive. When we finally went to pay with cash they didn't even offer us change when we all handed them $20 each and the total was $15 each, not that we weren't gonna tip but they just kept it without asking, which is very rude. At least give me back the change due and let me decide how much i wanna tip you. The only reason i would come back is the food, it has so much flavour and a nice kick to it. Definitely authentic Thai. The venue is decorated tastefully with Thai influences of course. But it's definitely a-hole-in-the-wall. It's situated inside a hotel in the n.e, a bit sketchy if you ask me. If they all took a course in customer service this place would be the talk of the town!!! We ordered the chicken coconut soup(creamy coconut with a tang of citrus that gives it a great kick), Coconut rice(rich flavour with a sweet delicate taste), and yellow curry with chicken and potatoes(thick stew, very creamy and rich). Everything was served very fresh... maybe they were peeling the potatoes when we ordered lol perhaps thats what took so long. I've been here several times and ordered a lot of things off of the menu and theres not one thing i didn't absolutely LOVE! <br/>*always get the coconut rice* =)

Great little restaurant tucked away on the side of a hotel. The food is absolute amazing here. Their Pad Thai is to die for. Also one of the only places in town where they serve real coconut rice.

Waited for 45 mins, but it was overall worth it. The curry and the stir fries are on point. Food was delicious and definitely worth trying out. Location is definitely obscure, but I'd recommend this restaurant. Would have given a higher rating but they ran out of coconut rice.. (in a thai restaurant?)

Was staying in Calgary for a course. I wanted a good place to go that was close to my hotel and reasonably priced. I read about White Elephant. Was literally walking distance. Walked in and right away noticed that the place was brimming with people , laughing and enjoying themselves. They sat me a brought me a large glass bottle of water with a glass stopper , nice and cool. <br/>The waitress suggested the chicken wings and yellow curry with chicken and a small coconut rice. <br/>Omg. I've eaten a lot of Thai but I believe this is best I've had. Wings were tender spicy and sweet. Coconut rice was to die for and the yellow curry was amazing. Highly recommend. Go early. Be patient if it's busy. Well worth the wait.

Located just off 16th Ave and on 19th Street in the NE beside Denny's, in a sketchy hotel - The Airport Traveler's Inn, this little hole-in-the-wall, family-run, gem was a hidden treasure in the neighbourhood until all the local magazines started raving about it. Just check out all the accolades and mentions outside the restaurant door. This is good because I love reading success stories. This place is very close to my house, and I sometimes wonder why I don't come here often.

Great food - only problem was the cash only. I didn't bring cash, so I had to drive to the bank. Didn't even know they had a ATM. Sad times.

Amazing food.  Sort of a hole in the wall find but well worth it, as most places like this are.  Not sure if I can comment on authenticity etc but it is definitely tasty and packed full of flavour.  It always seems to be busy so you might have to wait a bit.  Portion sizes are massive and guarantee you will end up taking the food home. The coconut rice is delicious.  Definitely recommend it.

When there is no good customer service, the taste of food doesn't really matter. <br/>I googled this place for dinner, and my brother and I waited almost an hour. <br/>With the patient running out, we've decided to wait in front of the counter (they have a waiting area in the motel, since the restaurant is very small). <br/>The owner kept on telling us how busy they are and even bragging their business was doing so good. <br/>After our 1 hour wait, there was a group of three showed up and they got in within 5 minutes while we were still waiting. <br/>We've complained why we couldn't get the table and the owner simply said the table was for three not two. <br/>Obviously the owner is trying to make the most profit out of his business, but we've waited an freaking hour when those three people just showed up. <br/>Because we couldn't stand the owner's attitude and since we were disregarded, we just left. <br/>I can't comment on the food since I couldn't taste it, but I don't recommend just for the customer service. <br/>If you really really want to get in, lie that you are group of 3 or 4 even when it is less people. You will for sure get in earlier.

Huge portions, very tasty. We usually go to chilli club thai house but we live east of deerfoot. We are glad we found this gem of a restaurant

Consistently my favourite Thai restaurant in the city, and with good reason. Specializing in authentic Thai fares, this family run business has been a popular spot for Calgarian foodies in the now. As other reviews have pointed out, it takes a little getting used to the atmosphere, as the restaurant itself is located inside of a hotel off of 16th Ave, and there are a few limitations to the restaurant itself. First off, they only accept cash and debit payments, there are no reservations, and I don't believe they can accommodate parties larger than 6 or 8 people. However, this keeps the table turnover pretty quick, and the food more than makes up for these inconveniences. Classic favourites include the grilled chicken wings, which come with a side of sauces that are incredibly flavourful and authentic. The curry selections are also fantastic too, with the option to adjust spice levels to your liking. The pad thai has always been consistently fresh and flavourful, never disappointing. A personal favourite of mine is the Thai iced tea, which is made with condensed milk, offering a sweet balance with the savoury goodness of the other dishes. My only tip is to arrive early to secure a spot before the rush shows up!

One of my favourite Thai restaurants. It is inexpensive and comes with large portions. The location difficult to find because it is located inside the hotel. They don't make reservations, so be prepare to be waiting for a table as its a very small restaurant. I love their Papaya salad and Stir fry which is amazing paired with coconut rice.

This place is a joke. My brother and I came to this place to try Thai food. We were told to wait for 30 minutes to be seated since the tables were full and many others were in the waiting list. So we waited at the lobby of the motel as they have told us. However we were not called for 50 minutes while all other people were being called. So we went to check where we are in the list and found out that the groups who has more people (3 or more) were being called even though they came after us. The manager was keep telling us to wait and letting other people get the seats. I just could not waist any more of my precious time for this and walked out. I do not know how tasty or special food this restaurant has but the way they deal with customers is not right.

If you can get through for take out, or to make a reservation, this place is good. The location is questionable for sure, kind of a have to see to believe, but the food is very good and prices very reasonable. The curries are better than the pad Thai. However, I have made at least 3 attempts to call for a pick up and not even been able to get through.

Came here this evening after having heard big things about the food. The friends We know that have come had all said it compared to the food in Thailand and that we had to try it.<br/><br/>The restaurant is in a super sketchy hotel just off 16th and 19th st, and then once you're at the hotel, it's virtually Unsignposted and hidden down a long corridor. But you open the door and suddenly a vibrant restaurant is on the other side!<br/><br/>We ordered the pad Thai, cashew chicken, masamun curry, green curry, coconut rice, Tom Ka Kai soup and a Thai iced tea. <br/><br/>I loved the soup, it was creamy and tangy; rich in ginger and lemongrass. A few of our group didn't really like it though, it has to be said.<br/><br/>The pad Thai was fantastic- tasted very traditional, although was basically chicken and noodles - none of the typical hidden gems such as tofu or prawns.<br/><br/>The masamun was delicious and mild, with nice potatoes and peanuts.<br/><br/>Green curry was also mild, but that may have been our fault for asking for it to be not spicy. The flavours were great in this one too. <br/><br/>The cashew chicken was very crispy and tasty and we all loved it. It almost felt as if it was battered slightly. Absolutely delicious.<br/><br/>The iced tea was typical of Thai restaurants. I definitely enjoyed it though but it's hard to say if it stands out from anywhere else.<br/><br/>If I was rating the food alone, this would 100% be a 5. However, the service here is pretty abysmal. The waiter seemed reluctant to look at our table, and we waited and waited for him to look at us each time her came into the room but he never looked at us once. Eventually I had to go and find him to ask for our bill. <br/><br/>The hours of this restaurant are also baffling. 5-8.30 doesn't offer much flexibility at all, and they only take cash, which is super inconvenient.<br/><br/>For once, the food definitely lived up to the rumours, but the service was a slight damper on an otherwise fantastic meal.<br/>

Wife has been wanting to go try this place out for a long time and I've heard good things from friends. Went there with the family today for dinner.<br/><br/>Ordered the Thai Matsaman Curry, Pad Thai with chicken, large bowl of coconut rice and the pineapple fried chicken just in case our daughter had trouble with the spices.<br/><br/>Pad Thai came first, wife thought it was ok, I thought it tasted like they used ketchup. Would have been nice if it was hot.<br/><br/>The rest came soon after. The pineapple friend rice was pretty bad. I don't think I've had fried rice all soggy like that before. My daughter loves friend rice and she didn't even really want to eat it. The Matsaman Curry was ok. Probably the rest of the dinner affected my enjoyment of it but it I'm pretty sure even the Thai Boat nearby was better. Probably lots of salt, everyone is mad thirsty an hour after eating or so.<br/><br/>As far as service and ambiance, I don't really care about that much. It was what you would expect from Vietnamese places, not really any service, but I'm fine with that. I've been to a few place in Southeast Asia so I know where they're coming from.<br/><br/>I see there's lots of good reviews so maybe it was just a bad day at the restaurant...

A small restaurant hidden in a travel inn. They dont have many tables available, so they only do first come first serve. No reservation available. The deco in the place is very thai style. The service was olay, but the food was amazing. We had a mango salad, curry, orange chicken, tom yam kai, and ice milk tea. Compared to other thai place i have ever try. The portion here is unbeatable. Definately come back for more dishes!

Very small venue, and yes service isn't the best, but I'm all about food and that was amazing! Orange chicken is a must order, the chicken has been trimmed of fat and cleaned well, and when prepared has the best crisp coating and flavor. Will be back very soon!

In my personal opinion this is the best Thai food in Calgary .... This place also has a bunch of tripadvisor awards! The place however is a little grungy but it adds to the ambience

Inside of restaurant is too dirty!! Food quality is below average in comparison with real Thai food that I've tried before many times!!! The worst service ever!! The waiters were so rude!! Lacking in competent work and class!!!And after all I figured out the management and people who are working at this place are super unprofessional and extremely low level in dealing with customers!!!

This used to be all the rage since our company is located nearby. When you really stop and think about what you're eating.. every dish is loaded with sugar and coconut milk. I wasn't impressed. Everytime i went, i'd end up feeling extremely thirsty for the rest of the evening.  So taste, MEH, but now think about the service. <br/><br/>They don't answer your calls, so you can't make reservations.. maybe they don't even take reservations anymore..so you show up at 4:45 just to be able to get a table at 5 when they're open.. the line up is already 20 people long.  There are half as many tables as there used to be, so it's hard to even get a seat at all. Slow service, cash only. <br/><br/>Never have been back, never will go back.

You need to get here early on a weekend because there will be a wait for a table, but also because the service is a little slow (even though we got there at 4:50pm and got a table right away, we didn’t start eating our mains till about 6:30pm). The restaurant itself feels a little crowded, but you come here for the food not the atmosphere. Nearly everything we ate was delicious. The papaya salad was wonderful although I found it really spicy even though it was only medium (side note: my spice tolerance is lower than usual, I need to build it back up). We also had the grilled wings and I really enjoyed the dipping sauces. The Pad Thai was definitely my favourite. Unfortunately our friends ordered and I’m not sure which curry dish we had, but it was my second favourite next to the Pad Thai. The stir fry was the only thing I thought was good but not great, and again I’m not sure which one we had. The only other thing I would note is that we tried to order the chicken satay, but it wasn’t available. Our friends who have been here a number of times said that has happened before, where some of the dishes were unavailable. For Thai in Calgary this an excellent option as long as you are prepared for a bit of a wait.

Been wanting to try this place for soooo long! It's kind of hard to find as it is located inside a hotel… kinda random. But the food is so good, and the portions are huge… We ordered pad thai, thai iced tea, tom-yum soup & chicken w/ coconut milk curry soup and a curry (waaaayyyy too much for two people but we had plenty of leftovers!) and it was SO delicious! Would definitely recommend this place for all thai-lovers!

White Elephant Thai Cuisine is one of those restaurants that I’ve been wanting to try for ages. Seriously, for the past few months, I’ve been all gung ho and telling friends “let’s go check out White Elephant” and each time, I never manage to make it. So sad because it just screams my type of restaurant. When you call a restaurant a hole in the wall, this is the epitome of that description. Random location? Check. Sketchy hotel? Check. Hard to find and terrible hours (5:00pm to 8:30pm only)? Check, check, check.

Most delicious Thai I've had in the city. Highly recommend the green curry and everything else at the surrounding tables looked amazing! Friendly staff and cute atmosphere despite the slightly rough hotel exterior.

A very affordable authentic Thai cuisine in Calgary. I love their Panang Curry Beef or Chicken and the Red Snapper Fillet, the carry sauce is to die for with the right amount of spice that make you drool. Michelle Zamora Castillo Rivor

I don't know what you were guys talking about. Food is amazing! Portions huge. Service - excellent! One of the most welcoming restaurants I've ever been to. I think they've just finished their renovations. Looks very Thai and updated. I was initially hesitant to go here but I'm a fan now. Kapkunka!

Just love it!! Best curry I ever had. Location is not so great but will definitely come back. Very tight table setting.. You're basically eating with the people next to you. No MasterCard...or interac. Cash only.

Best thai food ive ever tried. My fav is their pad thai dish

Do not get discouraged by the shady motel and the dated decor, the food is GREAT! I have been there many times and every single time didn't disappoint me.  Huge portions and great taste, definitely the best Thai restaurant in Calgary.

Great food, but not the greatest service so their rating had to take a hit for that. Everything we ordered tasted great. The coconut rice is a must when eating here. It works well with the flavours of their curry.

This is the best Thai resto so far we have tried. The Panang Beef and Tom Yum Kai is superb, very tasty and yummylicious. Will come back for sure and will bring my friends so they can try also. Spice level is 1 to 4 always start at level 1 being the mildest before leveling up

This little Thai joint has everything you'll need - great food, good environment and friendly staff. Every time I come here, we are promptly greeted and seated. The food comes out quickly and always consistent. The flavour isn't overwhelming as some Thai places tend to do. If you're looking for a new place to eat, this is it!

I have meant to try this restaurant in my search for a decent thai restaurant in Calgary.<br/>When evaluating thai restaurants, I try the tom yum goong and if it passes, I try the green curry.<br/><br/>The tom yum goong here passes my standards. Hot, spicy, loaded with lemon grass, keffir lime leaves, galangal root, and it has a great fragrance and umami. The prawns are large. It is nothing like the bizarre swill served at fast thai food establishments at malls.<br/><br/>The thai green curry is creamier than I am used to, and very delicious. The portion size was good. The sauce was aromatic as well as sweet. I have not seen a Thai green curry sauce so creamy pale before; they did not spare expense on it.<br/><br/>This restaurant is a little hard to find. It is located inside a cheap hotel. The restaurant only has about 14 tables. The decorations are tacky without an apparent unifying theme or style. The chairs are not particularly comfortable, and the table is wobbly. You can pay only by cash. The hours are also odd since it is open only 3 hours per day.<br/>It is however a busy restaurant during the times it is open. The service was better than I expected at an south east asian restaurant.<br/><br/>Taste is more important to me than the environment, and I would definitely come back.

White Elephant is definitely a 'hole in the wall' type of establishment--totally dingy location and decor. It's located in an even dingier rundown hotel directly adjacent to Denny's. Another deal breaker is the restaurant's weird hours. No lunch, it only runs for 3 hours starting at 5PM. I've heard of this place for years but haven't been able to eat here because of the hours they run.<br/>Rant: as an ethnic Chinese, people shouldn't expect spectacular service from Asian restaurants, ESPECIALLY if it's owned by a first-generation immigrant. They run their restaurants just like how they do back home.<br/>Rant aside, the waiter was very helpful and kind. After that, the servers were very brusque. Nothing to write home about.<br/>The food is nothing short of delicious first of all. Since this is a Thai restaurant, it's simply criminal to *not* order any curry. It's not stated on the menu but you can choose the spice level of your curry--perhaps none at all if you so desire. We settled for a modest level 2 ("medium") since my friend couldn't handle much spice. For all you spice aficionados out there like me, a level 2 is only a kick. I'll probably order 3 or 4 next time.<br/>Anyways, we opted for green curry. It had a very full-bodied flavor. The coconut milk added a creamy richness and characteristic of green curry, it had a tinge of crisp citrus tang. In addition with coconut rice (extra $$ but you don't regret it), the two complement each other nicely.<br/>We've also ordered the pad Thai with prawns. I think this dish caters to the Western palate very well as the sauce is tomato-based. They use the same type of noodles that is in pho. They definitely didn't cheap out on the seafood as well. We got plenty of jumbo prawns.<br/>I would highly recommend ordering iced coffee here as well. It is to die for.<br/>All in all, definitely give White Elephant a chance. You won't regret it.

I gave it a 5 strictly on the food. The flavor of the curries have so much depth. We've had several different ones there. I've never tasted anything better. Ignore the decor, ignore the hotel it's in. Go for the food, well especially the curries. The service was good when I've been but could see it being slow on other tables. But then again, it is what it is. If you are going for service, Decore etc. this isn't the place.

This restaurant was shockingly good... considering it situated inside a sketchy hotel in the northeast. Ordered the Tom yum Kai with the highest spicy level and was not disappointed! Pad thai was also great, though I would prefer they not only accept cash ...

I drive from the far south end of the city just to have some of the delicious Thai food at White Elephant. Definitely the best Thai I've had in Calgary and the most reasonably priced.

Weird cafeteria-like atmosphere in a seedy hotel, but amazing, delicious Thai food and friendly staff. Location makes it all part of the experience!!

Wow. Probably the best Thai in Calgary. Absolutely full of flavour, noodles and rice cooked perfectly, and the portions were huge, intended to be shared at the table. Price was nothing short of a bargain! Will definitely return. Awesome service, authentic food. Thrilled!

Finally got a chance to try this restaurant and was very impressed. We rolled in at almost closing time but we still felt very welcomed. Both the service and the food were amazing; probably one of the best places I've had Thai food. :) Would definitely recommend the soups, soooo delicious

The most amazing Thai food but the worst service in all of history. If you have lots of time and feel like a being a rebel then you must dine in. No doubt, the fresh food will be incredible but you might age a few years by the time you receive any service and then a few more years before you can get your food. <br/>Seriously though, we love the food from here so much that we've found ways to work around the poor service. The best way to go about it is to call 1  hour in advance and order your food for take out. Arrive about 10 minutes later than the quoted time and you shall be blessed with the best take out meal of your life.

It was ok. Thought the food was all too sweet. Felt the customer service was very subpar. They made us get our own drinks and walk out everytime we needed anything. Do not get the fried rice! It's not good! The Tom Yum soup was probably the best.

Didn't have to wait for a table but even so, would be worth the wait. Succulent food, great family service, suspect but surprising location. And not pricey at all.

Have never been at the place, however, ordered many times. All I can say... fantastic food, not too cheap but worth every penny. Apparently difficult to find and a little dungy....

Probably the best food you will ever eat in your life.  Sometimes the best food is in the most unusual place - that is the case here. I dream about the food here. This is not a fancy place and the seating is very close together. I would suggest arriving at 5pm when they open, otherwise, you'll have to wait. We love the green curry.

Legit. This is by far the BEST Thai food I have had since living in Thailand. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

You won't regret it if you get take out.. The food is great. Weird that they only take cash. I had to run over to the convenient store. Yes, they raised the prices, but the portions seem larger now, so one dish feeds two. So if you don't mind sharing it's still a good value for delicious authentic Thai food. I agree that it has gone down hill by Canadian restaurant dining standards. This is quite typical and acceptable near the beach in Thailand. Yes, there is a baby play area and no, this is not a romantic venue by any means. My husband and I left our toddlers at home to dine here . Haha. Whoops. We loved our spicy Veggie curry but could have done without the toddler noise! I'm a Vegetarian and I do still love that I can get genuinely spicy tofu veg dishes here. My husband doesn't miss the meat because the food is darn good without it. From now on, I will just be ordering take out!

Enjoyed laughing at the unfounded, terrible reviews on Urbanspoon whilst waiting for a table..... This place has one of the highest ratings in Calgary for a good reason. The food is awesome. Sure it's tough to find - a dimly lit sign down the hall of a lobby that rivals the Cecil Hotel, but with complimentary coffee and a 23 year old leather sofa to wait for your table, what's there to complain about? Initially I wondered if we were waiting for a table, or participating in a shady drug deal - complete with some horrible painted walls. I mean let's be honest, this place looks like a circa 1983 romper room group rehab for junkies trying to find their "happy place" . My Happy place was found in the beef panang and orange chicken. The food was bursting with flavour and served hot and fresh out of the kitchen. This place is bustling and busy - and has a strong loyal following. <br/><br/>We waited about 20 minutes for a table, and then another 10 mins for food, not bad at all considering some of the reviews on here. If you're expecting 5 star dining, romantic ambiance, served to you by nicely appointed staff, all for $12/entree then it's time to wake up. If you're expecting good value, generous portions, delicious Thai, then pull up a early 90's chair and dig right in!

Terrible wait times.... Hey guys, just being honest, but the wait times are too stupid. <br/><br/>*will submit follow-up review after eating. My sister says it is worth the wait, but I know a sushi restaurant on MacLeod called Sushi Ichiban that would have served us immediately and their tuna is melt-in-your mouth.

Food is good, service is absolutely awful. Not to mention cash only in one of the most crime ridden hotels in Calgary. I won't be back.

SUPERB FOOD!. This is the best Thai food I have ever had: everything is very fresh and the combination of spice is incredible.<br/>The seating is very comfortable and the service - which at times can be a little brusque - is polite and helpful.<br/>The dining room is very small and they take no reservations. I would advise the diner to arrive at the restaurant at 4.45 and wait for it to open.at 5:00. You will be pretty much guaranteed a table.The White Elephant fills up very quickly and within fifteen minutes most of the table are taken. This restaurant obviously has a devoted clientele. If you expect to arrive at 7:00 and get a table you will probably have a long wait. But the food makes the journey to the forgettable hotel and the wait worth it..

Extremely rude. Never going back. I had been to this place many times. Since the food has been great I had put up with the terrible service which has been degenerating over time to the point of being intolerable. Last night I went there with a few friends and here is what we were told (note that they don't accept reservation): <br/>- there is a 50-min waiting time.<br/>- it's cash only (they don't even accept debit)<br/>- they don't serve us any drinks while we are waiting<br/>- we can't even wait in the restaurant area and have to go to the hotel lobby and wait there<br/>- the kid cannot use children playground they have in the restaurant.<br/><br/>With that level of rudeness, frankly, I don't care how great your food is. We moved on to another restaurant and I will never go back.

Best Thai in town. You would never find this place just by driving by, and that's not affecting their business at all by the looks of it. The food is absolutely fabulous. You have to try it to believe. I'm telling all my friends.

Like what everyone has said ... great food terrible service. The food here is amazing but sometimes I wonder if it's really worth all the hassle.... the restaurant is always packed, no reservation so you rely on your luck. When dining it's hard to get the server's attention to get anything in addition after you already order. Coming there in a big group is super uncomfortable.<br/><br/>For a good and enjoyable dining experience, taste is a major part but ambiance and service make up a significant part of it too. <br/><br/>So I would recommend to have a good one here, you should go in a group of less than 4 ppl, on a non-weekend day, and try to order all your food/drinks at once :)

Best in Calgary. Small restaraunt and no more reservations. Great food, long wait.

Great Thai food - best I have had outside Thailand. Don't be put off by the location - in a run down hotel in the NE of Calgary. They do not take reservations so you may have to wait in a dingy hallway....BUT do not despair the restaurant is terrific. It is the most authentic Thai I have had in Calgary for sure. The service is fine - for those that order and their dishes come out at different times this is what happens in Thailand! Dishes are meant to be shared not one dish for each person so you eat what comes out when it is hot. One can also tell it is authentic as there are no knives but just a fork and spoon. Thais eat with ONLY the spoon. The fork is used to neatly push food onto the spoon. <br/><br/>We ordered Papaya Salad and Tom Yun Goon (3 star hot) and were not dissapointed. The soup broth was creamy and full on the tounge with real galangal and not just ginger - at least 6 large shrimps. This was followed by a green beef curry and cashew chicken. The curry was exceptional. I was less thrilled with the cashew chicken as it was too much like sweet and sour chinese chicken but still very good.<br/><br/>The service was extremely friendly - the place was busy but we were attended to. The place is nicely decorated , bright, and clean. <br/><br/>They accept cash only so make sure you have some or you will have to use the ATM in the scuzzy tavern down the hallway.<br/><br/>It would be nice if they are successful enough to move to their own premise but in the meantime we will defintely be back.

Gone Down Hill. We ate here several times during 2013 and had nothing but great experiences. We made plans to go there again and tried calling to make a reservation a few days ahead of time, but no one ever answered the phone. We decided to check their website and learned they no longer accept reservations. So, we went there tonight and were promptly seated. Unfortunately, they have removed half of their tables and installed a private baby play area instead. They also have gone to a cash only basis so be aware of that. The service was mediocre at best and each person in our group received their food at different times throughout the meal. As soon as we were finished we were presented with the bill and then asked to please leave as there was another party waiting for a table. There were other free tables at this point. After this experience we will not be back.