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    Charming Elephant

    4.5 (255 reviews)
    ModerateLaotian

    Order Charming Elephant Takeout or Delivery

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    CHARMING ELEPHANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Quiet
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Charming Elephant

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    Thai Tea
    Gloria N.

    Charming Elephant is a quaint and cozy restaurant dishing authentic Laos food. My usual dish is the Kapoon, a red curry noodle soup garnished with chicken, fresh cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts. It's the perfect meal for a rainy day or a cold day.

    Ground Pork
    Nelson L.

    Excellent all the way around We arrived 30 minutes before closing on an semi empty summer Monday night. We were welcomed warmly and with a smile. The small seating area was simple but clean. Its a nice typical asian inspired space. Family place ... Not fancy ... but date worthy. The services was great... he was nice and attentive. I ordered one dish they were out of but he was good at offering substitutions with similar profiles .... he knew the menu ... We ordered an appetizer of garden wraps them entree's of Pad Sai Ah, Ground Pork, Shrimp Fried Rice. ALL were great! My ground pork wonderful. One warning. We asked about spice levels. He said the "spicey" was above "Thai Spicy".. WOW! We all got " Medium and it was hot! Get Spicy at your own risk! It was great ... we can't wait to go back ....

    Cute interior
    Ana B.

    I think this place is better at night. I went for lunch recently as I saw they offered lunch specials. I ordered their Khao Piek and it needed a lot of doctoring. I asked for limes and hot sauce. Then I got the bill and they charged me for the full amount instead of the discounted rate. I was too tired to argue and the staff wasn't anywhere to be seen. It was really empty when I went and the last time I went in person it was also quite empty. It's a large restaurant with a bar and main dining area. They've gotten rid of the crab fried rice from the menu, which was one of the best things on it. They still list a happy hour from 4 to 7 but I'm not sure that they will honor it. For the price, you're better off going somewhere else. I thought it used to be quite affordable but it was very expensive when I went mainly because I had expectations I would get changed lunch prices. The restaurant can be easy to miss. There's no clear signage but it's located right on Boston across from NiHao. Totally different cuisines but NiHao is just better. I thought I had found a good Laotian place but I don't think I'll be doing takeout or dining in again.

    Alise G.

    Charming elephant is a nice family-owned Laos restaurant. Ingredients are fresh and the staff are very friendly. I ordered a sugar cane juice, chicken mussamun satay, the Lao pho and the mango sticky rice. They pressed the sugar cane right in front of me. The chicken satay is very flavorful. The pho was perfectly seasoned and I loved the mango sticky rice.

    Shrimp egg rolls
    Myra C.

    So glad we found this restaurant. The food is really good, like super yummy.. Shrimp egg rolls were simple and crunchy. Full sized shrimp fried to perfection, golden brown goodness. Fried rice was another winner. We got it with chicken and it was delicious. Next winner was the pork belly in brown sauce with green beans. The pork belly was fried crispy and then smothered in this heavenly sauce. Veggies perfectly cooked, onions, red and green peppers, green beans. I covered my steamed rice in the sauce then dug right in. Lovely experience and just simply divine. We will return when in the Baltimore area. Another plus, they play Kpop videos on a loop. Try it!

    Connie L.

    3.5 stars We were excited to try this place but we were not super impressed with the food. The drunken noodles were not as flavorful as we are used to though the noodle texture was good and we liked the veggies. The Lao spice level was good and pretty dang spicy! The ground pork pad kapow was pretty good. The green curry did not have much flavor. It just tasted salty but otherwise no flavor. Overall we were expecting more flavor from the dishes.

    Lao Crab Curry w/ Tiger Prawns
    Kiana B.

    I came here for restaurant week with my friends after hearing such great things about this place, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. The food was PHENOMENAL, easily making this restaurant one of my favorites in Baltimore. I tried some seafood options, and I loved that I was able to pick the spice level of the curry. Even more delightful was that the waitress brought over chili oil for the table in case we wanted additional spice. The food itself was very filling, and I honestly would have been satisfied with just the Tom Kai appetizer as a whole meal if the Crab Curry hadn't been absolutely amazing. The restaurant itself is set up like a typical Asian restaurant, but the painted elephants along the wall add a cute charm to the otherwise all-wood interior. It was pretty empty when I went for a weekday dinner, so no reservations necessary but worth a visit (and then some!) for sure!

    Fried Street Banana
    Jayna H.

    Okay so I was actually really blown away by the food here! A group of us dined in on a rainy Tuesday and were basically the only people there. We made a reso but it wasn't needed. Maybe people mostly order takeout here? I highly recommend the passion fruit yogurt crush! I got it without alcohol and it was so refreshing. Perfect combo of tangy and sweet and I couldn't stop eating the passion fruit boba at the bottom! Yum. We started with the garden wraps, egg rolls, and fried chicken. The wraps were fresh and came with a yummy peanut sauce. Egg rolls and chicken were both perfectly fried and delicious! For dinner we shared the crab fried rice, shrimp pad see ew, laap with fish, and the shrimp salmon salad. My favorite dish by far was the pad see ew!! The noodle texture and sauce were perfect and had a nice kick to it. The crab fried rice was also really good and was seasoned with black pepper that made it stand out from others I've had in the past. The laap dish had good flavor but maybe a bit too fishy for me. I didn't actually eat the shrimp salmon salad as I can't eat uncooked seafood at the moment but it didn't seem to be the crowd favorite. For dessert we had the mango sticky rice and street bananas with coconut ice cream. Both were excellent but the sticky rice really stood out to me. It was warm and the mango was perfectly ripe! It hit the spot and was probably the best sticky rice I've ever had. Still craving it as I write this review! I will definitely be back to try more dishes! Give the spot a try!

    Crying Tiger Steak
    Angela L.

    The food was served so quickly! This is my first time trying Lao coconut coffee and it was did not disappoint. The menu was pretty pork heavy, but everything we had was delicious. It's a nice cozy place and will definitely be coming back!

    Tom Khem, Drunken Noodles, Skewered Meatball
    Mark Allan J.

    As Nayvadius DeMun Cash, also known as American rapper 'Future', once said: sensational. Brace yourself to one of Baltimore's more sensually-involved fare which tickles and teases the palate. Immediately coming into this weathered, but tried and true eatery, I was entranced by the night-life themed Laotian decor. I wondered to myself if I had indeed, bought an airplane ticket to Laos itself. But that disillusionment was quickly waved away by a speedy seating in the calm and alluring restaurant. I looked through their menu with gusto, keeping my salivary glands at bay - with variable success. I ultimately ended up ordering the Tom Khem, fried meatballs, and drunken noodles. While engaging in knuckle-dead scholarly conversation and entertaining higher order propositions, our food arrived. To describe the first morsel that hit my tongue is to describe what it means to be alive - but I'll give it a shot. The Tom Khem tasted like the first few seconds of warm sunshine after persisting a frigid winter. It was Laotian comfort food in its essence. The braised pork belly soaked my soul with its inviting and addictive flavor of savoriness and umami. It was clear to me that this was a dish thoughtfully made and intentionally portioned to keep you satisfied but wanting more. The braise, poured over rice, pushed the envelope more - highlighting the effort and intricacies of the braising itself. The braise was sweet and savory, complimenting the pork belly and encouraging the inquisitive to embellish the dish with rice. Finally, the boiled egg, albeit simple as it was, was as delicious as it could be. Grounding the dish's roots to what a comfort food should be. I could really speak to how the drunken noodles and fried meatballs were of similar caliber to the Tom Khem, but I truly wish to encourage all Baltimore residents and visitors to give this place a shot. Charming Elephant embodies what it means to be a beloved, local Baltimore restaurant. A must-go.

    Sadhana P.

    A cute restaurant right by the water in Baltimore! The highlight of the menu by far for me was the drinks. They have many unique drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, that I'd want to come back to try. I had the lychee mojito, which tasted fresh, sweet, and perfectly minty, and my boyfriend got the lychee martini, which was stronger and yummy as well. I ordered the drunken noodles with chicken, and found it to be okay--I ordered it spicy but it definitely needed some doctoring (I'd maybe order it at the Lao spicy level next time). We got crab rangoons for the table and also a tom yum soup, which were the two food highlights for me. The rangoons were crispy with a creamy, savory filling, and the tom yum was the perfect blend of spicy and sour. The Lao fried chicken was crispy and moist, with a tangy seasoning on top. I would definitely order the chicken, rangoons, and soup again, but would maybe order something else instead of the drunken noodles. It took some time for the food to come out and for us to get our check at the end, but it did seem like there was only one person waiting all the tables. I also personally found some items on the menu to be a little pricey, so this likely won't become a staple restaurant in my rotation. The bar menu was the real highlight of the restaurant for me, so I'll probably visit again for happy hour!

    Thai Tea Margarita
    Kristy W.

    This place is like walking into my family's home and enjoying the Lao dishes I grew up with. I've been traveling for a while and have been craving some comfort food and this was the perfect place to be. Every bit was as if I was being transported and when I asked for real Lao spicy, they did it and I had happy tears from the fire and burning on my tongue... LOVE! I will be back and encourage everyone to come by and taste what real authentic Lao food tastes like, you don't need a plane ticket to enjoy this treasure of a restaurant! Khop Chai! (Thank you)

    Andrew S.

    If you're looking for a Lao cuisine fix, you should check out Charming Elephant. I'm always looking for my next Lao restaurant to check out, even if it involves driving out to Baltimore for it. Our party of two had lunch here on a Sunday. We ordered the Sinh Lod, Nam Khao, Lao Sausage, Pad See Ew, and Laap Gai. The jerky and sausage are must order items. Always goes well with a side of sticky rice. Both the Nam Khao and Pad See Ew were both good. Good food and service. I believe it's street parking only.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Charming Elephant

    Are they under new management? Or a new chef? My last 2 visits weren't as good as they've been in the past.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Was really looking forward to this place. We didn't make reservations for a Monday because I saw…read moreearlier in the day that pretty much every time slot was open - but that was a mistake because it completely filled up by the time we were done at a museum at around 4pm. We ended up waiting over an hour but that's not their fault and this isn't reflected in my rating. In the order they came out: 1. Crispy catfish (Pad Phet Paa) - extremely disappointing. It wasn't crispy at all and the flavor was lacking. Also, there was supposed to be eggplant but we barely saw any. 2. Red coconut curry - too sweet for my liking and it wasn't spicy at all which was also a disappointment. 3. Kee Mao - this honestly was the best part of the meal but I honestly expect this dish to be solid at every restaurants. Overall, as someone from out of state, I wouldn't try this place again given this experience.

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    I personally prefer their Laotian food over their Thai food, although there aren't as many Lao…read moreoptions. Their Thai food's just alright for me. Naem Khao Thadaeu - Crispy coconut rice salad with peanuts, lime, cilantro, scallions, and chili, served with green lettuce wraps. Easily the best thing on the menu. It's a bit pricey for something that's basically all carbs, but it's very well made. Paa Tod - Crispy fish with spicy chili-lime sauce, lemongrass, mint, dill, cilantro, onion, and tomato. I can see how the seasoning might taste unique to some people, but as a fellow Southeast Asian, I thought it's just alright. I know their buffet was discontinued for a while and only recently restarted. I'm excited that it's back because for me,. it's the best thing about this place back then.

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    Baan Siam

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    Amazing Thai food at this restaurant. Got the green mango Salad, chicken wings, khao soi, and beef…read morecurry. The mango salad was delicious, I could eat that all day. The khao soi had good flavor, and it came with rice. The chicken wings were for my son, he said they were the best wings he's ever had. The beef curry had good flavor, but the beef was a bit overcooked. Service was a little bit of a miss. When the waiter first came, he asked us for our food order. However, we wanted to order drinks first. I was able to order my cocktail, however, the waiter left before anyone else at my table could speak to order a beverage. Food came out very quickly. This is not the type of place where you would want to enjoy drinks and food over a period of time. However, if you are super hungry, your food will definitely get to you quickly. Restaurant was crowded, but not super loud. Overall, I would come back for the food, I just wish that I could have more time to enjoy my restaurant experience.

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    After hearing good things about this place years ago, I finally gave it a try. My wife and I…read morestopped in earlier today for dinner. We were greeted and seated relatively quickly and looked over the menu at our table. We asked the waitress if they had fish cakes, since we saw pictures of them on Yelp from this place. She didn't say anything, just pointed at something completely different on the menu. My wife repeated "fish cakes," and she pointed at the chive cakes. It looks like they used to serve them and took them off. That's a simple question with a simple answer, but instead of just saying that, she pointed at a menu twice and made it feel like we were bothering her. We started with the larb chicken and it was good. Limey, strong fish sauce, a little spicy, good contrasting textures. All good things. It's also the only thing I took a picture of, since by that point the experience had started to sour. For entrees, my wife got the boat noodles and I got the krapow. I asked the server to confirm the chicken was ground and she said yes. It came out sliced. Turns out the ground chicken version is on the menu as Chop-Chop Basil, but I was unfamiliar with the menu. It was an easy thing for her to correct but she didn't. I didn't make a thing of it, but it was annoying. I only had a bite of the boat noodles, but it was good. Nice balance of savory with a touch of sweetness. The meatballs were soft and bouncy, the meat was tender, good textures all around. The krapow was very good, mix-up aside. I asked for Thai spicy and they delivered. Excellent flavor, very tender meat, not too sweet. Probably one of the better krapows I've had out here. The part that really soured it was overhearing the manager with another table. An elderly couple and a friend had asked for their vegetables cooked well done since they can't chew firm food. They sent it back saying it was still too firm. The manager came out and basically yelled at them, saying they'd already cooked it longer than usual and couldn't cook it any more, and that next time he'd just put it in a blender. The couple had been nothing but kind about the whole thing. The kitchen did end up cooking it longer, but he never came back out to check if it was actually satisfactory. Maybe that isn't required, but the whole thing read like he was annoyed with them. The food here is excellent, easily five stars on its own. I'm docking a star for service. It was rude how they spoke to the elderly customers, rude to point silently at a menu instead of just saying the fish cakes are gone, and frustrating to be told the meat was ground when it wasn't. I'm not sure I can go back and dine in because it felt like we were a nuisance the whole time. I'll probably do carry out from now on. The inside is small and quaint and it looks like it gets busy around dinner, so come early if you want a table.

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