Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Chao Thai

    3.9 (429 reviews)
    ModerateThai
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Chao Thai Takeout or Delivery

    Chao Thai Photos

    Business Info

    CHAO THAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    More like Chao Thai

    Recommended Reviews - Chao Thai

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Menu
    Betty C.

    A small place with less than 20 seats. Since I'm not Thai, I don't know how authentic the flavors are. My group tried the TomYum soup and thought it was very sour (more than other places). I enjoyed the chicken satay and pork larb. We also had shrimp pad Thai and fried soft shell crab. I didn't try the crab but others said it was their favorite.

    Chicken Satay
    Judy C.

    Quick service and good food. Went for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon, so not crowded. Got a variety of items to try, all very tasty.

    Lemon A33. Pork Skin Salad
    Ben L.

    Absolutely loved it. I'm on a diet so even though their menu had a lot of things I wanted but I had to stick to a salad. Needless to say I got the lime pork salad and it was to die for. The meat was juicy and the sauce was absolutely amazing even though it was on the spicy side. Service was pretty quick and the lady behind the counter was extremely nice she was telling me about some places to visit on my upcoming trip to Thailand. I'm def coming back to try out more things.

    Patrick W.

    TLDR: Chao Thai is one of those places you go when you just want tasty Thai food. Nothing fancy, just straight tasty. Papaya Salad, get a larb for sure and definitely grab a drunken noodle a/k/a pad kee mao. FYI, this place can get spicy. Finally visited after being recommended by multiple folks. Chao Thai is on Whitney right off of Broadway across from all the Viet spots in Elmhurst. The place is small so def try to come on the earlier side. We got the papaya salad, the pork larb, a side of sticky rice, the pad kee mao with chicken and the fish fillet with basil sauce. The papaya was so crisp and perfectly tender. Super refreshing, the peanuts were especially good. The larb. At first this didn't seem spicy but when you get to the bottom with the juice - this wlll light you up. In a good way though. Get a side of sticky rice to help soak up the flavor and soften the heat. Pad Kee Mao with chicken. Probably one of the better versions I've had. Savory, spicy, a tad bit sweet but not too much. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. This was fully eaten almost as soon as it got to our table. Fish fillet with Basil Sauce. Not bad, it was fried well but a bit salty I thought. Probably my least favorite out of everything we had. We will definitely be back to Chao Thai when we want to hit up a spot for solid Thai. PS - cash only.

    JiHae L.

    This is a hole in the wall pace that you can just pass by if you skip this part of Elmhurst. They have indoor seating, but I don't recommend coming here with a large group as that wouldn't work. They have a wide variety of items here to please any palate. I decided on a medium spice level noodle soup with pork inside of it called Tom Yum. It does have a kick to it, so be careful. It was very flavorful. There is a bathroom downstairs, so if you need to use it, just know that it's accessible to the public. There's only 1 person manning the cash register, taking orders, cleaning and serving.

    Menu (11/2023)
    Andie E.

    I haven't been to Chao Thai in over 5 years! Why? Mostly because they're a tiny restaurant and do NOT take reservations. But on this Tuesday evening my party of 8 arrived super early at 5:30pm and scored a table, which took up half of their restaurant. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant for large groups, unless you can get there very early. I'm so glad we revisited Chao Thai because the food is just fab. So flavorful! Service and hospitality is very welcoming and friendly. It is a one woman operation at the front of house, and she does an excellent job! Here is our menu (shared by 4 ppl): -- Crispy Morning Glory Salad w.Seafood ($16.95): Hands Down, my fave dish of the night. I could have eaten this whole dish and nothing else, and I would have been happy & satisfied! Get This!!! -- Curry Powder w.Beef  Stir-Fry ($15.95): I've never had this dish before and this was good! Very flavorful; with a good amount of beef. --  Raw Shrimp in Spicy Fish Sauce ($13.95): This is a typical Thai dish but somehow not typically found in NY Thai restaurants. The fish sauce was terrific, as well as the huge amounts of raw garlic included! -- Fish Filet w.Pla Basil Sauce ($19.95): Another very flavorful dish; my 2nd fave dish of the night. The Fish Filet is fried and delish. -- Massaman Curry w.Chicken ($13.95): Don't expect this to be like the Indian Massaman Curry (which I love). This dish is lighted in flavor; albeit still very good. Just not like the thick Massaman Indian Curries. -- Jasmine Rice: complimentary with each entree (not with salads). The bowl of rice is pretty large! If you want extra rice, it will be an additional $2.50/bowl. Looking forward to a return visit to try other menu items (along with the Morning Glory Salad!).

    Young Jackfruit salad
    Momoe K.

    The Young Jackfruit salad was so good. The taste was like an original northern Thai dish.

    N13. Pad Thai Woonsen
    Chah L.

    Likes - delicious foods - great service - simple decor - close to the train Dislike - soft shell crab chu chee a bit salty

    Victor C.

    A hole in the wall. If you like Fried Chicken this is the spot. The crunch the skin had was out of this world! The spring rolls are top tier. The rice has curry in it so let that be a warning if you don't like curry. The service is great. They do not receive card payments. Only cash or Zelle !

    Pork A13. Grilled Pork
    Gerardo A.

    I have seen this restaurant a lot of times while walking into the train station. So, I decided to give it a shoot and have dinner here with a friend. I share a few appetizers with my friend. Num Tok Beef a salad that has grilled beef with onion, chili, lime juice and roasted rice with a touch of medium spiciest, be careful they don't play around went they talked about spicy food, although my palate could handle the degree of spices, it was spicier than I was expected, the beef was very juicy the lime gives it a great taste I recommend getting this to share because the portion is just perfect to share. Grilled Pork another great appetizer to share with a party which is served with tamarind sauce, pork was cooked perfectly the sauce was a great way to dip the pork to give that extra taste. For my main disk, I had the Drunken Noodles chicken I notice there was not a lot of protein on my plate, but the noddle was not bad but like the salad was spicier than I was expected. But overall was not bad. The place is pretty small so is kind of difficult to get a table. Another bad thing about the restaurant is that is only cash so no debit or credit card accepted.

    Fish cakes
    Jenny N.

    A taste of Thailand in the heart of queens. My boyfriend and I were visiting our buddy in the neighborhood and our buddy recommended this place. What we ordered - minced meat with a side of sunny side up eggs ~ tasted like street food in Thailand. - Thai tea - good balance of sweet. - fish cakes - fried seafood salad ~ nice and crispy. - spicy jungle curry Service: friendly and attentive. My friend here's frequently and has never had a bad experience. - cash only

    N12. Pad Thai
    Faye Y.

    This is a hole in a wall place but serves authentic thai food. I am basic and I love shrimp pad thai. It was so good! We also got the papaya salad with salted egg yolk. Not sure what that is in thai but was good!

    Pad Suki with Tofu

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Pad see ew with shrinp was amazing! Most delicious. Noodles made this dish delightful.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Will C.
    2897
    760
    759

    3 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 33
    Thanks 5
    Love this 25
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Momoe K.
    32
    10
    30

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Chah L.
    55
    123
    979

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Hsin-Yi W.
    1326
    1612
    14403

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Doreen L.
    1348
    1134
    8694

    8 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 1
    Love this 17
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kitti S.
    17
    29
    12

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Not what I expected I had the congee fish and the fish wasn't that fresh. The food was just ok not bad or not too good

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dave L.
    0
    14
    40

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Neo G.
    11
    47
    163

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Cat N.
    53
    52
    62

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - Chao Thai

    Is take out available?

    Yes, but food always tastes better when it fresh served

    Do they have nam prik kapi?

    Yes they do have nam prick kapi & pla too ()

    View All 5 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Thai 70,518 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Saranrom Thai - Shrimp Potted with Glass Noodle /  (@joeynht)

    Saranrom Thai

    4.6(453 reviews)
    0.2 miElmhurst
    $$

    I came here with two others for dinner on the eve of a world cup games. It was very busy so we were…read moreadded to the waitlist and then walked around the area until they called us. Service was great and efficient. Shortly after we sat down, we were greeted by our server and received water. One member in my party has a gluten sensitivity, and when we mentioned this, our server brought out a gluten-free menu! It has a great selection and my friend was overjoyed with the options. The food was delicious and a bit spicy, even at the mild option. If I was there for lunch, I would have ordered a Thai ice tea (the drink had too much caffeine for me the evening ). The food was delicious, and is something that we'd all order again. My favorite part of the evening was the tv playing a Thai cooking show. There were no captions or subtitles so I kept asking the server what veggies were on screen, and they too didn't know because there was no caption. A fantastic restaurant worth hitting up if you're in the area.

    We ordered the mango salad and the pineapple duck curry. Even though we got medium spice for the…read moresalad it was pretty spicy lol but the mango really helped. It had a lot of crunch to it so was fun to eat although not my style of salad. The curry sauce was great. I wish the duck came with more meat; it was a lean cut. We were too full to order more but there's plenty of other things I would've wanted to try. Also their cocktail menu looked stellar - very unique and fun glasses + flavors. We waited ~45 min on a weekend with no reservation at around 2-3pm as an fyi!

    Photos
    Saranrom Thai
    Saranrom Thai - Shrimp Potted with Glass Noodle /  (@joeynht)

    Shrimp Potted with Glass Noodle / (@joeynht)

    Saranrom Thai - Miang Kha-Na /  (@joeynht)

    See all

    Miang Kha-Na / (@joeynht)

    Ayada Thai - N3 Pad See w Beef

    Ayada Thai

    4.1(1.5k reviews)
    0.4 miElmhurst
    $$

    So, I've known about this place forever, but haven't been able to go…read more Finally make it during lunch and I loved it. Service: it's nice. They definitely didn't tell me that lunch specials were available before I ordered my soup. Other than that, everyone is pleasant. Space: they have two sides, so plenty of space, but nights and weekends can get pretty packed, so keep that in mind. Food: I ordered Tom Yum soup and a lunch drunken noodle with a Thai iced tea. I only had the soup there and took the entire lunch special to go. Just based off of the soup, I will be going back. It was delicious and PACKED to the MAX! Writing this now, I can still imagine. Drunken Noodles were also really tasty. I like mine spicy and it could have been made spicier, but that's not even a real complaint. Also- the one next to me had this dish which reminded me of pad see ew but in a gravy. Looked delicious!! I will be back for whatever she had. Overall: the entire block is like a little Thai street. There are lots of Thai food options and I finally made it to Ayada. Super happy with my meal and excited to go back with some people and enjoy.

    the wait was too long for saranrom thai AND hug esan :(…read more this place was rlly good though! the chive cakes were a sleeper hit: crispy on the outside and so chewy and soft on the inside almost mochi like probably best chive cakes i've had at a thai place. discovered i don't like raw crab would not recommend the salad very ocean flavored. crispy duck panang curry was yummy not the best duck i've had but very good and the curry sauce was delish. mango sticky rice a hit as always the rice was very warm and subtly sweet and the mango was decently fresh. i will say it's a bit expensive for the amount you get but otherwise yummy!

    Photos
    Ayada Thai
    Ayada Thai - N8. Tom Yum Noodle Soup

    N8. Tom Yum Noodle Soup

    Ayada Thai - F1. Fish w/ Sweet Chili **Market Price**

    See all

    F1. Fish w/ Sweet Chili **Market Price**

    Spicy Shallot - Pad See Ew beef

    Spicy Shallot

    3.8(822 reviews)
    0.4 miElmhurst
    $$

    Came here for a very late dinner since it's open until 11:00pm on Saturdays. Spicy Shallot's been…read morementioned a lot in my Queens FB Foodie Group, but maybe it was an off night or we ordered items that aren't their most spectacular. Had the $30 Branzino (didn't realize that it's fried. And that we had a choice between sweet chili sauce, mango salad, cashew cream sauce). The waitress didn't ask which one we wanted. Also had the $18 Crispy Watercress Kung Fu Salad. We were thinking of a duck dish (& I didn't see the Khao Soi - one either softshell crab that I've seen previously), but the couple next to us who's been there twice within the past 2 weeks recommended these two dishes. The salad was lightly battered vegetable, they used Water Spinach instead (big tuber fritters stuck together). The bowl of Seafood Salad (shrimp & calamari, kind of Thai ceviche-style) was OK but didn't have nuances in flavor (spicy sour sweet). The Liquid was deep at the bottom and it was hard spooning things on top of the vegetable. The presentation of the fish was gorgeous - came out on a fish-shaped platter on top of an little flame. The server poured the sauce over the fish and everything bubbled. There was cauliflower and string beans underneath the fish. Didn't realize that it was fried instead of broiled or grilled. We didn't know what sauce we were getting and at first I thought it was tiny bit sour, as I continued eating, it became like a one-note tamarind. Same - there wasn't any sweet sour spicy fishy. We asked for medium-spice when we ordered. It's a little awkard deboning and serving a fried crispy fish on top of a metal platter at a 2-seat table, but my Auntie-skills kicked in and it's no problem for me since I'm familiar with where the bones are. Friend ordered a Thai Coffee also (it might only come iced). The restaurant is beautiful and has a sleek but tropical Asian decor & about 75% full even up to closing. Has a cute outdoor seating area too - a very different vacation feel on a block of Woodside/Elmhurst Queens. Later I come to find out my Queens - born Thai friend said he stopped going to this restaurant after it's renovation and adding sushi to the menu. The ownership changed and he doesn't think it's Thai-owned anymore. Either way, I kind of wish the food met up to the standards of this "Little Thailand" area of NYC. Maybe I'll try them again if they have lunch specials. A couple was sharing a giant beer glass of Thai Tea.

    5 stars based on the duck curry alone! This place put me on to the magical wonders of a Thai duck…read morecurry as this was the first place I discovered how magical this item is. I've since tried a multitude of different duck curries and can say ive tried my fair share of them at this point and can easily state this is,hands down, the best duck curry ive tried, and probably the best duck curry in nyc. The duck was incredibly crispy and still tender, the curry itself was rich, but not overbearing and still contained a nice sharp hit of flavors and spices only a Thai red curry could encompass. Run and try the duck curry here, it's all you really need from this restaurant

    Photos
    Spicy Shallot
    Spicy Shallot - Duck Curry $28 (comes w.rice)

    Duck Curry $28 (comes w.rice)

    Spicy Shallot - Pad Kra Pao Kai Dao

    See all

    Pad Kra Pao Kai Dao

    Zaab Zaab - SOM TUM PLA RA THAI ICE TEA

    Zaab Zaab

    4.0(170 reviews)
    0.5 miElmhurst
    $$

    Came on a Saturday at 5 pm right before the rush. Our server was super sweet and friendly and gave…read morea couple of recommendations. She also started us off with some complimentary popcorn. Surf & turf skewers: My least favorite dish of the night. I found most of the skewers a bit dry. Larb beef & tripe: the Larb was super flavorful and delicious. We got a side of sticky rice as well and it paired really nicely together. Crab fried rice: Generous amount of crab and nice wok hay. The rice also had a nice chew to it that I enjoyed. Salt encrusted tilapia: I wish there was a bigger vermicelli noodle portion on the side but I really liked the tilapia. It was perfectly cooked and fell off the bone and the sauce complemented it perfectly. Don't forget to remove the salt crust!

    I genuinely don't understand the hype around Zaab Zaab Elmhurst. We ordered the fried rice, drunken…read morenoodles, pad kra pao, and the ribeye steak. The steak was the only dish that showed any sign of life. Everything else tasted as if it had been rinsed with water before being served--completely stripped of seasoning, aroma, and any trace of authentic Thai flavor. It's astonishing that a restaurant with such a strong reputation could produce food that's less flavorful than the faux Thai takeout spots tucked inside Chinese restaurants off the Ohio Turnpike. That's not an exaggeration. What's even more baffling is the location. In the heart of Queens, surrounded by Thai restaurants serving bold, vibrant, unapologetically flavorful food, Zaab Zaab somehow manages to be a culinary desert. The fried rice was bland, the drunken noodles were lifeless, and the pad kra pao lacked the punch, basil, heat, and savoriness that define the dish. It honestly felt as though the menu had been engineered for diners who think black pepper is adventurous. Instead of authentic Thai flavors, everything seemed toned down to the point of being unrecognizable. For a restaurant with this reputation, the meal was a massive letdown. There are countless nearby Thai restaurants that deliver the bold, aromatic flavors Thailand is known for. Save your money and your appetite for one of them.

    Photos
    Zaab Zaab - Indoor

    Indoor

    Zaab Zaab - Pla Neung Manow/ Branzino

    Pla Neung Manow/ Branzino

    Zaab Zaab - Prawn pad thai

    See all

    Prawn pad thai

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Set A for 1: $12.99; $14.14 with tax. Comes with soup, dipping sauce, both not shown. Take-out.

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst

    4.2(575 reviews)
    0.2 miElmhurst
    $$

    Found a heavy hitter in Elmhurst. ​Eim Khao Mun Kai is…read moredoing one thing, and they're doing it better than anyone else. If you're looking for a massive menu, keep walking. This spot is a 3-table operation focused entirely on perfecting Thai chicken rice--and they nailed it. ​The move here: ​The Chicken: Poached to absolute perfection. Tender, juicy, no fluff. ​The MVP: The chicken heart. It was so good I had to double down and order a second round. If you know, you know. ​The Rice: Fragrant ginger rice that actually has flavor, paired with a radish broth that hits the spot. ​The Sauce Science: They let you mix your own. I went with the soybean paste + ginger-scallion combo. It's addictive. Do not skip the ginger-scallion. ​Washed it all down with a solid Thai tea to balance the heat. It's a tiny shop with efficient service and zero ego. A total hidden gem. I'll be back. ​ 81-32 Broadway, Elmhurst ​#ElmhurstEats #QueensFood #KhaoMunKai

    4.5 We really liked…read morethe food here. Got the chicken set for 2. Each bite of chicken/gizzard/liver and rice with the condiments was flavorful. Wished there was more liver. Like a deconstructed and dry version of a filipino soup I love called Chicken Tinola, with similar ingredients too. The set came with soup - was mild and good. I added a bit of the ginger-scallion condiment and liked that too. I think it's the first time I tried Thai iced green tea - slightly sweet for me but lighter bec with half and half. Couldn't give this place a 5 stars though because of the heat. We went there when it was at least 90 degrees, and didn't know it wasn't air-conditioned. There was only 1 oscillating fan which was only ok when it was pointed at our direction. Once it turned, I had to keep fanning myself. The iced drink was refreshing but wasn't enough. We would have left if only we weren't set on trying their Hainan chicken. Will surely return, on a not so hot day. Service was great. Food came out quickly. It must've felt hotter for the staff being in the kitchen but they still had smiles. Nearest train station is Elmhurst Ave stop of M, R and some bus lines along Broadway, but not too far from Roosevelt Ave-Jackson Hts station. Has 4 small tables, and counter seating for 3. No restroom. Cash only.

    Photos
    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Inside

    Inside

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Poached chicken served over fragrant ginger rice with a light broth, cucumber, and cilantro, with options to add liver or gizzard

    Poached chicken served over fragrant ginger rice with a light broth, cucumber, and cilantro, with options to add liver or gizzard

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Such a good snack

    See all

    Such a good snack

    Chao Thai - thai - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...