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    White Elephant

    4.5 (273 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Vietnamese, Laotian
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order White Elephant Takeout or Delivery

    White Elephant Photos

    Business Info

    WHITE ELEPHANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - White Elephant

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    House Salad
    Abigail M.

    My husband & I were on a walk when we stumbled upon this place & we are so glad we did!! We are not spontaneous, as we like to PLAN, but this place just called our names when passing by. It's tucked in the corner of Richmond St & University Ave & looks like a cute little house. There were a variety of options to choose from, it was honestly hard to choose my dish! I got the chicken satay & it was so good. (Wish I could cook my chicken like that at home.) My husband got the Kanom Jeen and he also very much enjoyed his meal. Will definitely be coming back to try more.

    Crying Tiger steak and Pad See Ew
    Catherine M.

    My sister and I decided to stop by for a quick dinner. It was cute little spot, but in a very busy area with not much parking. The restaurant is a little small but not cramped. The service was good and wait for food wasn't too long. Pad see ew was good but more veggies would've been nice. The crying tiger steak sauce was so good but the meat was a little tough for a ribeye.

    Crying Tiger
    Tiff H.

    Service was a bit rough at the start but everything smoothed out after we got our orders in. They seemed impatient and a unaccommodating. That was cleared up soon after we placed our orders though. Now, the food! I'll keep it short and simple. Whatever you get, I speak with high confidence that it will be delicious! The crying tiger ribeye steak and the shrimp pad see ew were both amazing. The egg rolls and shrimp salad were also really good. I will definitely be back. This may have made it into my top 3 spots! Affordable and delicious. Really cute inside in a prime location. It's a win win!

    Mango Chicken
    Ginger P.

    We got our food to-go so I can't speak for the dine in experience, but our orders were packed well for takeout. We got pad Thai (spice level 8) and mango chicken (spice level 3). I read in the reviews that they make things pretty spicy, but I found that to be kind of overblown. Flavor-wise, the mango chicken was reminiscent of a honey walnut shrimp kind of flavor with a mayo based sweet sauce. I thought this dish was pretty interesting and good if you like sweet entrees. My pad Thai was missing a bit of the strong tanginess of tamarind and the flavor seems a bit understated with the noodles looking a bit pale. It was still decent, but Bahn Thai in University Heights has the better pad Thai for a lower price than White Elephant. What White Elephant has going for it is that the parking situation is better and the wait is not as long.

    Drunken Noodle
    Jen N.

    Ordered for carryout. Everything was ready on time and hot when we got home. Staff was nice upon pickup, and the interior was cute. We had Pad Thai, Drunken Noodle, and Larb - all spicy level 5. I will say it was probably the spiciest level 5 I have had in San Diego. I would actually take it down next time. Everything was really good - just spicier than expected. The portion sizes and value were good. We will go back to try some other dishes, as so many options looked good - especially some of their house specials.

    Salmon panang curry
    Trao P.

    We had a party for 7 people here on Tuesday and this restaurant treat us very well with delicious food. This place is a little small but very chill and nice. It is a little but hard for parking if you dont know how, but the tip for you, let cross a street and get a spot for parking from another mall. We tried a lot of items from the menu and this is the list we really fall in love: calamari, crispy shirmps, pad seewe, patpaya salad, salmon panan curry, mango sticky rice. Service is profession, waiters asked and take care you mutiple time. They are friendly and kindly. Very high recommend!!!! Absolutely come back to enjoy more food!!!

    Andrea W.

    I ordered delivery as I am sick and not able to cook. Their food is solid. Always fresh and well prepared. I ordered no spicy but just so you know it is spicy :)

    Mango chicken and chicken pad see yew
    Merriam W.

    My friends and I ate here for dinner and it was absolutely delicious! We ordered shrimp spring rolls and firecracker shrimp appetizers and chicken pad see yew and mango chicken for entrees. Everything was delicious especially the orange chicken! It was battered chicken that was fried and perfectly crispy with a mango mayo sauce and mango pieces. The pad see yew was amazing too! I would definitely come back and try other dishes

    Duck Salad!
    Warren G.

    ​White Elephant is our family's favorite local spot. We visit frequently with our kids, and the staff always makes us feel like home. The food is consistently fresh, flavorful, and serves as the perfect backdrop for our family dinners. Must try there Duck Salad.

    Jiansen W.

    White Elephant in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego is an Asian kitchen and restaurant flavorfully blending Thai, Lao, and Vietnamese cuisine. AMBIANCE Cozy and modern, with indoor and outdoor seating SERVICE Friendly, fast, and knowledgeable. I ordered takeout at the register, and my food was freshly prepared in fifteen minutes. FOOD 5/5 WATER BEEF SALAD Perfectly tender, grilled beef with fresh mint, shallots, onion, cilantro, roasted rice tossed with lime dressing. I got red chili flakes and powder on the side, and added it for an intense heat. I'd come back to try more traditional and unique dishes with a group to split things family style.

    Jacob N.

    White Elephant is the first Thai restaurant that's actually reminded me of the food I ate in Thailand! The Green Curry was heart warming and the veggies were crisp. The tofu was cooked to perfection and the spicyness at level 5 was enjoyable but didn't blow your face off. The dining area is pleasant and casual which makes for a great conversational atmosphere.

    Green Curry
    Allison C.

    I am absolutely blown away by this place! You can tell that a lot of thought and effort went into each meal because everything was delicious and flavorful. I am already thinking about coming here again very soon.

    Gene L.

    Reasonably priced, solid Thai food in Hillcrest. 4.4 The service is fair. 4.5 The ambiance is fine, nothing too exciting. 4 My husband always gets the Tom Kha and it only comes in a cup, so if you're here as a group, there isn't a large portion for sharing. I wish I could give it a 4.3

    Completely fried dough. Not an ounce of chicken in sight.

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    Thank for the compliment and hope to serve you again soon.

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    5 months ago

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    Thank Andrea.

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    3 months ago

    Chicken fried rice was excellent. Pad see ew very tasty. Kanom Jeen curry with noodles and veggie delight were all very good.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - White Elephant

    Does it have a bar?

    No but they serve wine and sake.

    Do they allow pets in the patio?

    Yes pets are welcome in our patio seating.

    View All 4 Questions

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    With so many choices in the area, it's always a challenge to find a rose but today we did…read more The space was airy, open and impressively clean. The tables well spaced out and even counter seats if you want a quick bite. Ordered one of the best sellers, Nam Khao Tod which was impressively full of flavor with crispy coconut rice, sausage, ginger, onion and scallions, holding off on the peanuts due to food allergies which they graciously accommodated. Served with plenty of lettuce. Our second dish was the Hot Basil with chicken. Very aromatic with fresh basil, onion, peppers and tender chicken, served with steamed rice. Can't wait to go back and try something new along with one of their desserts, which, unfortunately, we didn't have any room for during this visit.

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    White Elephant - thai - Updated May 2026

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