White Elephant Asian Kitchen

From Idaho we look for great reviews. For Thai cuisine this was off the charts. The mango chicken is to die for. The Tom Kha soup is amazing. Recommended to everyone!

Great food. Nice atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff. The food is good portion. We had Crispy rice salad, grilled chicken, LPB salad, and basil eggplant and we couldn’t finish it. Will be back again.

We went here on the recommendation of a family member and were extremely pleased to have listened to them! White Elephant Asian Kitchen is a cute restaurant with really good food. I got the Pad See Ew with tofu and had no complaints at all. My husband got the vegetarian pho and he said it was the best he ever had. I would just caution people that the jalapeno it comes with was very spicy and he would have preferred swapping it for a different vegetable, however the rest was so good that he can't wait to have it again sometime. I also tried his brother's chicken, I can't recall which exact dish, but it was delicious. We'd highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good dinner, especially if you're looking for Asian cuisine!

We just checked out this restaurant for the first time and loved it. Good atmosphere and very good food. Minus a little because we never got the chili sauce we wanted because it was hard to get the server’s attention. We ordered the drunken noodle (amazing), Thai basil (very good) and mango sticky rice (amazing). We’ll be coming back.

The food at the White Elephant Asian Kitchen does not disappoint. The food is fresh, authentic, and delicious. Try the steak-it’s sooo good! The eggplant should not be missed, and the sticky rice and mango is a must. Sean, the owner, is so personable and provides excellent service. He generously showed me how to peel a mango, where else does that happen? White Elephant is our new favorite. When you go, it will be yours too!

the food was amazing. I stayed in california for 3 weeks and this was the best meal I had while over there. the fried rice was so good, all the meat was cooked really well, and the veg and salads were also delicious. the waiters were really kind too. they gave us advice on where to go and were just super nice. easily 5 stars

Food, service, and ambiance are fantastic. Indoor and outdoor seating. Usually little to no wait for a seat when dining in. The curries, garlic chicken, and orange chicken are all fantastic (and I’m excited to try more). But the crown jewel is the sticky rice with the coconut milk ice cream. I cannot recommend this place enough! Our server Devin is so friendly and wonderful. Thank you for the great eats every time!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND- without hesitation!!! While visiting San Diego we ate at White Elephant and it was so delicious we made sure to go again before traveling back home. Food is AMAZING!! Their papaya salad, Pad Thai, Tom Yum Soup, Pho Chicken, Crab Fried Rice, and Crying Tiger were absolute perfection! The owner was present during both visits and in addition to being kind and welcoming, made sure we were well attended to. The ambiance was simple, elegant, and comforting. Food arrived quickly and ingredients were noticeably fresh. Sorry, no pictures were taken- we were too busy enjoying ;-)

A hidden gem in Hillcrest! Some of the best Thai food I have ever eaten. Mango chicken is one of their specialties and definitely a must try! Service is exceptional, the owner is very kind and makes you feel like you are dinning in his home. There is inside and outside seating, ambiance is very nice, clean, welcoming. Everything we tried is amazing! I can never decide on one thing to eat so every time we go we end up getting multiple dishes and eating family style! Even though it is just two of us, they give us a table for four to accommodate all the food we order😂. I also recommend the Chinese sausage fried rice! A must try!

They only had one other table when we got there which made me doubtful of the food, but I was pleasantly surprised. Probably my new favorite asian restaurant in the city. Ambiance, music, and all the plates were unique and delicious. We had the soups, pad Thai, fish, and the basil eggplant-all of them extremely savory. Place is fairly new but very well executed, will definitely be back.

We had dinner and service, quality of food, and ambiance were excellent. We order egg rolls to start which were crispy and delicious. Soup was perfect for the cold weather. And the chicken satay was juicy and really well prepared. Thai basil beef for main course was great (a bit on the spicy side which I loved). Will be back!

Came with a party of 6, fast and friendly service and delicious Thai. The 1-10 spicy scale runs extra spicy ;)

The food here is delicious. All the ingredients tasted very fresh. For an appetizer I tried the chicken wings - nice and crispy with a very tasty sauce. Also had the Pho chicken which was great, I will definitely be back for it. Nice and quiet atmosphere. Went at lunchtime and was surprised I was the only one in there since the food is so good.

Everton was great. But the meat in the soup,curry and steak in the Crying tiger dish was chewy. The flavors of everything are amazing. The tofu in the curry was top notch. Service and atmosphere was classy.

Great tasting Thai and Lao cuisine at White Elephant Asian Kitchen in Hillcrest! Serene and tranquil ambiance to enjoy some yummy food. We had the white elephant noodle soup, drunken noodle with pork, and fire cracker shrimp. We joyed the beer bao lager. Very friendly and accommodating service. Dog friendly patio. Recommend!

We love going to White Elephant. My top favorite is their White Elephant noodle soup. It comes with house-made knife cut noodles that’s super chewy, and the broth is full of chicken flavor infused with garlic oil. The white pepper adds perfect amount of spicy kick to it. I get cravings for this soup all the time but especially when it’s chilly. Haven’t found any other Thai restaurants that make noodle in-house! IMO, this is definitely their specialty. The Lao sausage comes with the dipping sauce and they are so good together. Love that bursting lemongrass flavor and chunks of meat inside the sausages. The sauce is mildly spicy and so delicious. The garlic pepper chicken is prepared differently from what we’re used to. It’s deep fried in crispy light batter and covered in their house special garlic sauce with red peppers. Mildly spicy and crispy, it’s also full of flavor. We weren’t a fan of the mango chicken dish despite its fame, mostly because we prefer our food savory rather than sweet. All in all, the batter was perfectly crispy and the idea of using mango was refreshing. Hope other people will find their favorite dishes at this lovely restaurant run by the hard working, passionate, sweet family!

Very good Lao sausage appetizer with a dipping sauce that was the perfect collection of citrus flavor. Honestly, if I had a basket of sticky rice, I would have been satisfied right there. But I had to add the entree Thai Basil with egg sunny side and jasmine rice. So good, although egg wasn’t runny like I’m used to. Spouse had the shrimp appetizer - massive shrimps! And crispy rice salad which was enjoyed. The Thai tea was refreshingly perfect as well.

White Elephant Asian Kitchen was such a great spot for lunch! My boyfriend got the chicken pad Thai, and I had the shrimp lemongrass salad—both were super fresh, with great portions and amazing flavor. The atmosphere was really nice too, perfect for a casual meal. We’ll definitely be back to try the spring rolls!

The flavor at this Thai restaurant was really good and each dish. I highly recommend you try it and give it a shot yourself. The service is really good. Next time I go I need to get the papaya salad a little bit more spicier. I love spice on my food. That's one of the reasons why I love Thai food. I will be back again and thank you for taking care of me here.

The food was good and the server was excellent! Thank you for what you do!🙌

Came across this place when searching for a local place to eat while visiting San Diego. The atmosphere is pleasant and chill. I liked that they accept Google Voice reservations. The food was stellar and is possibly some of the best Asian food I've ever enjoyed. The chicken potstickers were crispy on the outside and just right on the inside. I ordered a side of peanut sauce to go with this and I HIGHLY recommend it. For the main entree, I ordered the mango chicken based on the waitress's recommendation. Originally, I was going to order the pad Thai. Her recommendation was spot on! The mango flavor was just right. It was delicious!!! I hope to be back and hope you enjoy White Elephant as much as I did.

Best Thai food in the San Diego! Not the prettiest presentation but the flavors are unbeatable. Definitely recommend trying it out. Seating is limited and parking is a bit difficult but much better than anywhere downtown, call ahead to see how busy it is.

Great food. Our table of 4 people had the Chicken Satay, Fresh Spring Rolls, Mango Chicken, Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, Green Curry, and Sweet Sausage Rice. Of course we had extra peanuts sauce because they know how to make it right. The portions were good and we all had to go boxes at the end. The only thing to take note is it is a smaller place and the food comes out a little staggered. But, when it gets to the table it is hot and delicious!

First time here and wasn't disappointed. Calimari was crisp and flavourful. The jalapenos was a nice touch. Pad Thai and Pineapple Fried Rice was delicious as well. Definitely coming back hopefully sooner than later!

This place has some of the best pad thai I have ever had. I love the quaint location and decor. It makes the ambiance of the restaurant so inviting and different. The service was amazing as well.

The good: this place is truly a diamond in the rough, it's extremely quiet in this place during the day which is amazing since the food is really good. The waitstaff was knowledgeable and the pineapple curry was very delicious with the seafood combination. The tigers cry was delicious as well the salad dressing is zesty not my first choice in salad dressing but over all food was a 9.7 out of 10. The bad: nothing The ugly: N/A I will be eating here again and again. I will recommend this restaurant to anyone in this area.

Quaint yet elegant restaurant tucked in a side street off of University Ave. in Hillcrest. Could be easily mistaken for a wine shop. Soft music in the background gave it a relaxing ambiance. Menu with variety of Thai dishes that came with friendly and attentive service.

I usually do take out/delivery. The Larb is pretty consistent and the portion is nice. The Nam Khao is good. The Lao Style papaya is probably the best you can get in the more urban area but it isn’t consistent. The jerky is worth it and the sauce for it is great. The only thing I wish was better is the broth for the Khao Piak. It’s always very bland which is unfortunate because khao piak with all the sides, garlic, chili oil, etc beats pho often. The Nam Tok was sort of deconstructed like a steak salad. Large slices of medium rare beef that lacked seasoning over a bed of greens and a side of dressing. Would not order it again.

This place is amazing!! It was my 13 year olds birthday and she wanted Thai food. We had a long day at Del Mar racetrack and stumbled upon White Elephant on our way back to the hotel. The staff were all so friendly! Service was fantastic and fast. The ambiance was perfect! I loved everything about this place: decor, space, music, food choices. I ordered the Pad Thai and I guess I was a bit ambitious with the heat level and asked for 8. I’ve been living in FL for the past 4 years and I’m not used to enough spice! Boy was this hot! It was sooooo good though! The flavors were amazing and it was cooked to perfection. Very large portions, I should have split with my daughter because we weren’t able to take it with since it was our last night in town. Highly recommend this restaurant! Food and service was the best!!

Peter Farsai

Best Thai food in the San Diego! Not the prettiest presentation but the flavors are unbeatable. Definitely recommend trying it out. Seating is limited and parking is a bit difficult but much better than anywhere downtown, call ahead to see how busy it is.

David Webster

Great food. Our table of 4 people had the Chicken Satay, Fresh Spring Rolls, Mango Chicken, Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, Green Curry, and Sweet Sausage Rice. Of course we had extra peanuts sauce because they know how to make it right. The portions were good and we all had to go boxes at the end. The only thing to take note is it is a smaller place and the food comes out a little staggered. But, when it gets to the table it is hot and delicious!

Rollie Empizo

First time here and wasn't disappointed. Calimari was crisp and flavourful. The jalapenos was a nice touch. Pad Thai and Pineapple Fried Rice was delicious as well. Definitely coming back hopefully sooner than later!

Sam

Quaint yet elegant restaurant tucked in a side street off of University Ave. in Hillcrest. Could be easily mistaken for a wine shop. Soft music in the background gave it a relaxing ambiance. Menu with variety of Thai dishes that came with friendly and attentive service.

Tess Seda

This place has some of the best pad thai I have ever had. I love the quaint location and decor. It makes the ambiance of the restaurant so inviting and different. The service was amazing as well.

Stephanie Duffy

The good: this place is truly a diamond in the rough, it's extremely quiet in this place during the day which is amazing since the food is really good. The waitstaff was knowledgeable and the pineapple curry was very delicious with the seafood combination. The tigers cry was delicious as well the salad dressing is zesty not my first choice in salad dressing but over all food was a 9.7 out of 10. The bad: nothing The ugly: N/A I will be eating here again and again. I will recommend this restaurant to anyone in this area.

Navs L

I usually do take out/delivery. The Larb is pretty consistent and the portion is nice. The Nam Khao is good. The Lao Style papaya is probably the best you can get in the more urban area but it isn’t consistent. The jerky is worth it and the sauce for it is great. The only thing I wish was better is the broth for the Khao Piak. It’s always very bland which is unfortunate because khao piak with all the sides, garlic, chili oil, etc beats pho often. The Nam Tok was sort of deconstructed like a steak salad. Large slices of medium rare beef that lacked seasoning over a bed of greens and a side of dressing. Would not order it again.

Jen Newby

This place is amazing!! It was my 13 year olds birthday and she wanted Thai food. We had a long day at Del Mar racetrack and stumbled upon White Elephant on our way back to the hotel. The staff were all so friendly! Service was fantastic and fast. The ambiance was perfect! I loved everything about this place: decor, space, music, food choices. I ordered the Pad Thai and I guess I was a bit ambitious with the heat level and asked for 8. I’ve been living in FL for the past 4 years and I’m not used to enough spice! Boy was this hot! It was sooooo good though! The flavors were amazing and it was cooked to perfection. Very large portions, I should have split with my daughter because we weren’t able to take it with since it was our last night in town. Highly recommend this restaurant! Food and service was the best!!

SJ TNK

Great food. Nice atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff. The food is good portion. We had Crispy rice salad, grilled chicken, LPB salad, and basil eggplant and we couldn’t finish it. Will be back again.

Sara S

The food here is delicious. All the ingredients tasted very fresh. For an appetizer I tried the chicken wings - nice and crispy with a very tasty sauce. Also had the Pho chicken which was great, I will definitely be back for it. Nice and quiet atmosphere. Went at lunchtime and was surprised I was the only one in there since the food is so good.

The Calm one

Everton was great. But the meat in the soup,curry and steak in the Crying tiger dish was chewy. The flavors of everything are amazing. The tofu in the curry was top notch. Service and atmosphere was classy.

Wandering in Paradise

Great tasting Thai and Lao cuisine at White Elephant Asian Kitchen in Hillcrest! Serene and tranquil ambiance to enjoy some yummy food. We had the white elephant noodle soup, drunken noodle with pork, and fire cracker shrimp. We joyed the beer bao lager. Very friendly and accommodating service. Dog friendly patio. Recommend!

Scott Pittenger

Very good Lao sausage appetizer with a dipping sauce that was the perfect collection of citrus flavor. Honestly, if I had a basket of sticky rice, I would have been satisfied right there. But I had to add the entree Thai Basil with egg sunny side and jasmine rice. So good, although egg wasn’t runny like I’m used to. Spouse had the shrimp appetizer - massive shrimps! And crispy rice salad which was enjoyed. The Thai tea was refreshingly perfect as well.

Madison Shepherd

White Elephant Asian Kitchen was such a great spot for lunch! My boyfriend got the chicken pad Thai, and I had the shrimp lemongrass salad—both were super fresh, with great portions and amazing flavor. The atmosphere was really nice too, perfect for a casual meal. We’ll definitely be back to try the spring rolls!

Jamie

We love going to White Elephant. My top favorite is their White Elephant noodle soup. It comes with house-made knife cut noodles that’s super chewy, and the broth is full of chicken flavor infused with garlic oil. The white pepper adds perfect amount of spicy kick to it. I get cravings for this soup all the time but especially when it’s chilly. Haven’t found any other Thai restaurants that make noodle in-house! IMO, this is definitely their specialty. The Lao sausage comes with the dipping sauce and they are so good together. Love that bursting lemongrass flavor and chunks of meat inside the sausages. The sauce is mildly spicy and so delicious. The garlic pepper chicken is prepared differently from what we’re used to. It’s deep fried in crispy light batter and covered in their house special garlic sauce with red peppers. Mildly spicy and crispy, it’s also full of flavor. We weren’t a fan of the mango chicken dish despite its fame, mostly because we prefer our food savory rather than sweet. All in all, the batter was perfectly crispy and the idea of using mango was refreshing. Hope other people will find their favorite dishes at this lovely restaurant run by the hard working, passionate, sweet family!

RJ Martinez

The flavor at this Thai restaurant was really good and each dish. I highly recommend you try it and give it a shot yourself. The service is really good. Next time I go I need to get the papaya salad a little bit more spicier. I love spice on my food. That's one of the reasons why I love Thai food. I will be back again and thank you for taking care of me here.

KENNETH SCHAUER

The food was good and the server was excellent! Thank you for what you do!🙌

Daniel Martinez

Came across this place when searching for a local place to eat while visiting San Diego. The atmosphere is pleasant and chill. I liked that they accept Google Voice reservations. The food was stellar and is possibly some of the best Asian food I've ever enjoyed. The chicken potstickers were crispy on the outside and just right on the inside. I ordered a side of peanut sauce to go with this and I HIGHLY recommend it. For the main entree, I ordered the mango chicken based on the waitress's recommendation. Originally, I was going to order the pad Thai. Her recommendation was spot on! The mango flavor was just right. It was delicious!!! I hope to be back and hope you enjoy White Elephant as much as I did.

Fantastic food. Great selection. 12 of us ordered 10 different meals, shared around, each one was terrific. Strong recommendation. We're just in down for the week of Christmas and will come back... Maybe twice.

Ryan Staats

Fantastic food. Great selection. 12 of us ordered 10 different meals, shared around, each one was terrific. Strong recommendation. We're just in down for the week of Christmas and will come back... Maybe twice.

This place is a hidden gem in Hillcrest. They are understaffed but the service was good. The food was delicious!!!! Highly recommend the mango chicken and yellow curry, so flavorful!!! Prices are good too.

The food was outstanding. During my three weeks in California, this meal stood out as the best. The fried rice was exceptionally tasty, with perfectly cooked meat, and the vegetables and salads were equally delicious. The waitstaff was exceptionally kind, offering advice on places to visit and displaying overall warmth. It's undoubtedly a five-star experience.

The fried rice and cashew chicken were amazing. This will be my go to for fried rice in the area. However, the mango chicken was terrible. Both of us thought it tasted almost exactly like honey mustard and made me sick to my stomach with the syrup/mayo taste. I like sweet but this was unreal.I'm not sure if they changed the recipe because it looked lighter in color than pictures others posted or maybe messed up the ratio that day.

Pretty good mango chicken. Lots of breading than meat, though. But, the taste is good. I ordered a soup and hoped it was the coconut Tom ka Soup. I got Tom yum instead . It was good. . ..I like the mushrooms and veggies.

Daughter of the King

Pretty good mango chicken. Lots of breading than meat, though. But, the taste is good. I ordered a soup and hoped it was the coconut Tom ka Soup. I got Tom yum instead . It was good. . ..I like the mushrooms and veggies.

Nice presentation and employees nice. Crab rice is super good and their chili sauce is awesome also the sauce for the firecracker shrimp. The mango chicken was mostly crunchy and no chicken. Overall good but portions were smaller but not small and mango chicken had no chicken. Also there is mustard on it

True rating is 3.5, but I won’t give 4. The food is generally good, but I’ve eaten in-restaurant and pick-up, and the results are inconsistent. This is especially true with spice levels, so if you aren’t sure skip the spice. Many reviews give good feedback to the restaurant, but the restaurant owners respond passive-aggressively and tell people to go to panda express which is simply unprofessional. Since I live nearby, I’ll probably keep going, but if you’re just in San Diego to visit, you may want to consider another option like Bahn Thai (not Panda Express smh).

I had high hopes for this place based on the great reviews. So I ordered 2 entrees, and I know the authentic Thai food since I’ve been traveling to Thailand for the last 20 years. Drunken noodles - the chicken was bland, the meal itself was not very flavorful, and it was dry overall. The spicy level 5 is American spicy, not authentic spicy. Mango chicken - what is the hype about it? There is very, very little flavor to it. Too sweet. Sweet chicken, no other flavor to it. Overall quite disappointing. Won’t eat here again.

Absolutely terrible service. When we arrived, they made us sit and wait 20 minutes because we could not have a table inside. Once we were seated before we got our food they tried to move us twice because now they got a large party and they try to move us back inside. Once we asked if we could sit on our table, they said it was not an option and they literally made us move. Horrible service and once we asked if they could do something, they said we can leave if we want. We were literally told to get up and move, or leave! What’s worse is when I spoke to the server and the gentleman at the door they had zero empathy and the guy literally waved us out of the restaurant like he couldn’t care less. As we walked out we found out they kicked out another couple because they got a “larger party” Kicking out customers for other customers. Is it discrimination or just stupid management. You decide. EDIT: you can clearly see from their response they don’t deny it and they don’t even apologize. They clearly admit kicking out two tables of 2 who were seated and ordered, so they can take a larger party! I’ve been in restaurant business 20+ years. NEVER seen this. Pure greed. Karma is real.

We are very confused with the high/positive ratings of this restaurant. We ordered the Thai basil with beef and yellow curry with chicken. The beef was ground up; the green beans in the dish were chopped into tiny pieces and the meal was not a desirable texture. The flavor was diluted and spice levels were not met at all (we ordered 7-8 spice level for both dishes). The yellow curry was extremely diluted and tasted like water; very little chicken provided. Jasmine rice was mush and awful in texture. Didn't finish both meals as they were awful. The restaurant is also a little more expensive than its competitors, although the food at the competitors taste much better. Would not recommend if you enjoy and appreciate real/authentic Thai food. UPDATE: in response to the owner's response, I have actually been to Thailand and know what good Thai food tastes like. The food (both dishes) lacked flavor/tasted diluted, which were the main disappointments as addressed in the original review. It appears as though the owner can't take constructive criticism, which is a shame as this feedback should help business owners improve their products. We are Asian and our taste buds are different; so again, we are very familiar with authentic Thai food. Thank you.

My partner and I came to this restaurant after visiting Balboa Park excited to try the vegetarian crispy rolls. It was Valentine’s Day and the first thing we got asked was, “Do you have a reservation?” We quickly answered no and were sat at the same table with a family. We didn’t complain, that’s fine, however they sat another couple down at a private table with no reservation. We ordered and I was rudely told by the waiter that I needed to specify vegetarian crispy rolls when ordering, I remember specifying vegetarian but it could’ve gone unheard. They also proceeded to not give me my drink that I had ordered and incorrectly charge us our tab. The food we ordered was overly salty and inedible. The service was very rude and I felt very uncomfortable dining in that space. Would not recommend and I am definitely not coming back.