Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Chao Thai

    3.9 (426 reviews)
    ModerateThai
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Chao Thai Takeout or Delivery

    Chao Thai Photos

    Business Info

    CHAO THAI ATMOSPHERE

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

    You might also consider

    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

    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
    Meredith Y.

    PAD SUKI WITH TOFU: Pad suki with tofu (extra spicy level) was excellent for anyone who loves spicy noodle dishes, bursting with salty, tangy and sour flavors with just a hint of sweetness. To be honest I don't have a lot of knowledge of Thai food outside of what's popular in US restaurants, but if you like pad kee mao, the pad suki completely different but is a good transition to something with even more flavor, sauce, and fresh ingredients, plus glass noodles are delicious when cooked right. It's always a risk that when you get noodles to-go, they'll get stuck together and not taste as good, but the combination of sauce and the silky glass noodles kept the food perfect for eating. Tofu had a great level of crispy/chewiness and absorbed the flavor well, complimented by the green onions. Carrots were crunchy and well-seasoned; along with the mushrooms (and maybe some other veggies?), it was a good way to include healthy, tasty ingredients. I think it also included egg whites? I always love the bouncy and salty taste of egg whites more than the yolk, so that was a nice surprise to see. As to the spice level, I saw some reviews saying the food here is really spicy and was a little nervous to ask for super spicy (but my partner did for me when she ordered because she knows I'm stubborn and love spicy food even if it's painful), it was a nice level of heat, but nothing unbearable to the point that all you taste is hot. Portion was very generous and tightly packed into a rectangular takeout box, I estimate having 2 servings for leftovers. THAI ICED TEA: Very sweet and creamy with a strong and high quality tea flavor. Sipping on this was a great way to cool my mouth down from the spicy food, so refreshing! If you prefer your Thai iced tea on the sweeter side, this place is for you. Overall, all the good reviews of this place are accurate and the food was delicious. I can't wait to come back here and try new dishes!

    Pad Thai
    Chu D.

    A small hidden place in Elmhurst, we ordered chicken pad Thai, chicken larb and mango sticky rice for dessert, Padthai came and we digged in! Was great until we found a blue rubber band in the dish. We thought... it's okay, just a mistake. Chicken larb was great, very sour and spicy! Then our mango sticky rice came, we're enjoying it until we see a long metal... aluminum.. in it. We called the server over and told her everything is fine but just wanted her to know that there are metals and rubber in the food. Server asked what do we want, I told her nothing because we had already finished the food and that I'm telling her only so they can be more careful next time as it is a health violation. Also, this is an only cash place but still charges tax.. not a great look.

    See all

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Will C.
    2895
    758
    758

    3 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    7 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 1
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 32
    Thanks 4
    Love this 24
    Oh no 0

    2 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

    2 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

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 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

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Hsin-Yi W.
    1324
    1596
    14348

    7 years ago

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

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Doreen L.
    1348
    1132
    8664

    8 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 0
    Love this 16
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 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

    6 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    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

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 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 Don L.
    0
    12
    2

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Cat N.
    53
    52
    62

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott T.
    408
    1293
    3464

    8 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    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 73,225 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

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

    Saranrom Thai

    4.6(432 reviews)
    0.2 miElmhurst
    $$

    I got delivery from here and thought that it was absolutely amazing. Rated Top 20 NYC spots on Beli…read moreand Michelin Bib, Saranrom Thai in Elmhurst has some of the best Thai food the city has to offer. Book a reservation if you can; otherwise, you likely won't be able to book a seat (trust me, I've tried). I got their pad kee mao (one of their most popular dishes) with chicken as well as a Thai iced tea. The noodles were chewy and had the perfect bouncy texture. And, there was a great flavor to the dish. If anything, I wish they just put more chicken in as my portion barely had any. The Thai iced tea was also phenomenal. Will have to come into the restaurant sometime to try their food fresh (and get their duck curry that I've heard so many raving reviews about).

    This is the best Thai restaurant I've had in America!…read more We went on Sunday around 230pm and waited about 20 minutes but right after us the line grew pretty long and was a 1 hour wait. The place is quite small. I've been chasing the raw shrimp ceviche flavors ever since I had it at a night market in Thailand and finally found a close 2nd here! It was a perfect balance of tangy and salty. They gave us a decent amount of shrimps. The tom yum soup had a kick (to the back of your throat) to it even though we asked for mild. It was tasty. The basil minced pork was also delicious with the Thai omelette completing it really well! My partner got the intestine herbal soup and it was pretty good! I wasn't in the mood for it. I had some bites of it and it wasn't smelly at all. Thai iced tea was also good and as expected. A bit too sweet for me, I wouldn't order it again.

    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.

    Love Ayada!!! They do the classics and do it so well. It's a cute and simple space in…read moreWoodside/Elmhurst area. Service is consistently nice, albeit not super fast but that's completely OK. This time I had the chicken wings and the Pad See Ew with crispy pork. Both were perfect. The Pad See Ew is materially better than other ones as the noodles are so chewy and silky. I've also gotten Pad Kee Mao with thai spicy and it was fantastic. Perfectly spicy!! Definitely try this place!!

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

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

    Ayada Thai - N8. Tom Yum Noodle Soup

    See all

    N8. Tom Yum Noodle Soup

    Hug Esan - Crispy Whole Tilapia

    Hug Esan

    4.5(301 reviews)
    0.4 miElmhurst
    $$

    A bit different from the Thai food you're probably used to but change is sometimes good!…read moreWe had some of the best fish and chicken we've ever had and also loved the starter salad. Chicken was so so crispy and you could just head the crunch with every bite. Fish was also great and prepared really well. Staff were nice and could help you with recommendations as needed! It's not a huge establishment and is pretty popular so you may want to expect a wait time I believe it's cash only so bring cash!

    I've been wanting to try a restaurant in New York that serves authentic Isan/Northern Thai food,…read moreand we found this spot in Queens. It's not in Manhattan, but I'm telling you -- it's worth the trip. It's located right next to Little Thailand and easy to find with Google Maps. One downside is that the space is very small. They only have four small tables for two and one larger table for 3-4 people, so it might be difficult for bigger groups unless you make a reservation. We arrived right after they opened, and not long after, the whole place was packed. Besides the size, the restaurant is really pretty and cozy. The menu is interesting and offers a wide variety of dishes -- fried, stir-fried, grilled, soups, and more. Here's what we ordered: Crab Fried Rice - We ordered it without much thought, just to try it, and it ended up being one of the best Thai dishes we've ever had. Even my husband (who is Laos/Thai) loved it. He rarely gets to eat crab because his mom has a severe allergy, so this was special for him too. (We forgot take picture lol) Crispy Pork Belly - Served super hot and crispy. I love that they battered it instead of just deep-frying it plain. It had great texture and was so flavorful. Tum Thai (Thum Mak Hoong) - We ordered it very spicy and asked if they could make it Laos-style. They tried, and it was pretty good. It was slightly lacking the strong fermented fish sauce (padek) punch that gives it that bold, pungent flavor. But honestly, it's still very close to Northern style -- just more approachable and less intense, so more people can enjoy it. Sticky Rice - Served the traditional way in a bamboo basket (aep khao) with a lid, which keeps it piping hot. I love when restaurants keep it authentic like that. We wanted to order more because there were so many options, but just three dishes were already enough for us -- we even had leftovers. They packed everything very securely; I carried the papaya salad around all day and it didn't spill at all. It is pretty pricey, but honestly, it's worth trying at least once for the quality and authenticity. We'll definitely bring his parents here next time we're back in NYC.

    Photos
    Hug Esan
    Hug Esan - Crab Meat Fried Rice

    Crab Meat Fried Rice

    Hug Esan - Crispy Duck Basil Sauce

    See all

    Crispy Duck Basil Sauce

    Na Rath Restaurant - Curry Wagyu steak & Khao Soi noodle

    Na Rath Restaurant

    4.4(109 reviews)
    0.1 miElmhurst

    I came with my mom for her birthday since she wanted Thai food. I took her up on her wish, and…read morefound Na Rath under "hot & new" restaurants. When I saw that it was AYCE Thai food AND sushi?! I was sold. Everything was spectacular from start to finish. We started with the pompano fish with mango salad & the Tom Yum Kung. The fish was crispy and the mango salad was so flavorful. I was impressed with the giant prawns in the soup. Already we were half full finishing the main entrees. For the buffet options, we ordered salmon sashimi, seafood pad see ew, Moo Ping Thai bbq pork, and Nur Yang steak. I would devour everything again except for the steak, which I found bland and not tasty. Overall service was A++. The music playing was fun. I'm very excited for what's to come for this new restaurant. Can't wait to tell all my friends & fam about it!

    Back for another tasting at Na Rath - service as usual was on point, explained menu and chef…read morespecials. Got us some waters to the table pretty quickly and put in the food orders after much deliberation. Needed up with the soup Noodle boat and the beef krapow. It was pretty busy tonight and we had to share a table but overall food quality is on point as always. I ordered the beef krapow spicy and it was . Super authentic flavor that stays in your soul after eating. Th e beef noodle soup was insane an so flavorful. Everything was amazing and on par with being in Thailand. Ambiance was pretty casual and cozy. You will have a great time.

    Photos
    Na Rath Restaurant
    Na Rath Restaurant - Moo Ping BBQ Pork Golden Pompano Fish Garlic Prawn Crab with pepper and basil Crying tiger Steak Seafood Hor Mok

    Moo Ping BBQ Pork Golden Pompano Fish Garlic Prawn Crab with pepper and basil Crying tiger Steak Seafood Hor Mok

    Na Rath Restaurant - Young coconut crepe cake

    See all

    Young coconut crepe cake

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Such a good snack

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst

    4.2(572 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

    Simple no frills "food stand" that sits within a restaurant front serving one dish and one dish…read moreonly: steamed chicken and fragrant scallion rice. I am always a fan of these hyper specialist places because I figure if you only sell one dish it must be really good. The chicken is tender yet light on flavor, so the included sauces (one soy based and one chili sauce) are a must. However the rice was delicious and fragrant, a complementary pairing to the chicken. They also included some chicken gizzards and liver if you are a fan of those, but for me I could do with or without. Overall a solid place and worth a repeat visit in my book.

    Photos
    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Inside

    Inside

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Steamed Chicken for Set 1 $11

    Steamed Chicken for Set 1 $11

    Eim Khao Mun Kai Elmhurst - Outside

    See all

    Outside

    Chao Thai - thai - Updated May 2026

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