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Chilli House Thai Bistro - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
1018 Beach AveVancouver, BC V6E 1T7
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 685-8989
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Greg C. said: "5 Stars for a Great Weekday Lunch Menu! This is by far the best Thai House out of all their chains and I have gone there almost on a weekly basis, although I have been on and off with this commitment lately due to life's excitements…" read more »
16 reviews for Chilli House Thai Bistro
16 reviews in English
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Review from Shoppa H.
Vancouver, BC
12/3/2011
We go with a large group so we are able to order almost everything on the menu. Loved the Thom Yum soup!!! We had seafood galore and everything was awesome. Although we stayed past closing, they never rushed us or made us feel like we had to leave. Our bill was four figures, but we enjoyed the great food and the great service. Of course, the waitress received a HUGE tip.
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Review from Kai C.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2011
Mainstream somewhat westernized Thai food, generally consistent... It is owned by Thai House, so you know what to expect. I live in the area, so I enjoy getting delivery once a while for change and eating the food on my own patio instead.
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Review from Christopher J.
4/20/2011 6 photos
==Chilli House Thai Bistro==
We went to this place only because it was right near the Hotel Apt that I was renting for the week stay. The decor is actually pretty nice inside and the service was okay. It's very spacious inside and the booths were comfortable. There are 3 dishes that I liked here. One was the steak salad, and then the Pinapple Fried Rice, and last the Papaya Salad.
However, everywhere in Canada, their Thai Iced Tea tasted a bit odd. Maybe it's how all the places made it, but I did not like it all. It had a slight bitter taste and a weird aftertaste.
PROS::
1] Great view of the water outside
2] The food was okay.
3] Service was average, our waitress was nice
4] No wait time mostly
CONS::
1] Do not get the Thai Iced Tea.. If you're not used to a different taste from the US. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
5/11/2009
* Warning: Bitching and moaning ahead *
Why oh why is the Thai food in Vancouver all below par?
I'm putting high hopes on Angus An's opening of Maenam (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) sometime later this month.
But while thinking about the pending opening of Maenam (and salivating) I got the craving for some Thai food. I should have known better than to rush it, but I did.
Sadly Chili House Thai Bistro didn't scratch the itch.
I had the beef gaprow. I love the classic beef dish with basil and chili. But this somehow just didn't have the balance you might hope for in good Thai cuisine. The beef was of decent quality, but something about the balance of the sauce was just a bit off. Thai cuisine relies so heavily on balance, that this was the source of my disappointment.
It has a nice location right on the seawall. It is part of the Thai House local chain of "meh" Thai restaurants. Of the current selection in Vancouver, it does offer slightly above average Western style Thai cuisine.
But still - please Maenam - don't let me down when you open. I've pinned all my hopes and aspirations of Vancouver having decent Thai food on you!!!!!Listed in: Rewards Network Joy, Vancouver Thai Food
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Review from graham r.
3/25/2009
First
I found this place in my Rough Guide to Vancouver book. The location is pretty cool, especially when there is nice weather. There is outside seating on the seawall that looks out to the harbor. The location is kind of hidden, you wouldn't be able to drive by it. It's basically right next to the foot of the north side of the Burrard Bridge.
It is the best Thai restaurant I have had in the city but I've only tried a handful of them. I think there are two stories, so it can accommodate big groups. The East wall is decorated awesome - there are three huge wood carved elephant heads. There is a neat fish tank, and a second fish tank where you can point and say "I want that crab right there."
It has a pretty broad menu as far as Thai restaurants go. You will find all the standard Thai dishes as well as ones made with local mussels or ostrich. -
Review from Mike C.
Vancouver, BC
10/9/2010
After a year of living nearby and promising to eat here (but getting sidetracked by fish and chips at the Pirate Pub a few doors away), we finally made it for dinner last night. To our surprise Chilli House Thai Bistro has added an "All You Can Eat" option for $16. And not to our surprise the hostess assumed we were there for the pig-out (we're big guys). You need to decide whether you are going a la carte or AYCE upfront as you are seated in different sections. We opted for the very good value AYCE and were seated in the front section.
Our waitress and all the servers were fast and efficient and didn't blink when we ordered every dish in the appetizer, soup/salad, and stir fry sections. The food arrived quickly and was generally tasty, although more steam table than cooked to order. We then tackled curry, noodles and rice sections, although only the "best" of each section relying on the waitress' choice (it was a lot of food.) These dishes were better than the earlier courses and worth trying first. We didn't make it to desserts (glutinous rice or tapioca.) With two SIngha beers, taxes, and built-in tip of 15% the bill grew to over $55, but we rounded it to $60 because of the service.
So why 2 stars? Sometimes quality matters more than quantity and while we did pig out, nothing was remotely as nice as the food in Bangkok or LA (or likely other Thai restaurants in Vancouver.)
However, when the weather is nice, the front terrace is ace for sharing a bottle or wine or two (we did this on Mother's Day weekend during the early heatwave) and watching the crowds walk, cycle, and rollerblade by.
So for drinking only in great weather, or if you'd like to eat a lot at a low price, feel free to add another star or two. -
Review from Joanne L.
Richmond, BC
4/19/2010
Another Thai House chain... we went for a friend's birthday with about 40 people. The place was a bit tricky to find as it can't be seen on Beach Avenue, it's on the ground floor of the hotel. There's also a slightly hidden unmarked underground parkade with limited free parking for the restaurant.
Our huge group got one part of the restaurant where it was raised, which was nice. There were these tiny tube TVs hung around the place and the hockey game was on. Better than nothing...
Ordering time: the server was just plain rude. I guess she's a bit stressed with the large group, but hey, just number us off or something. Then she was rude again in asking what kind of meat I wanted and got annoyed when I asked if it came with rice. The other server was just... let's say not sharp and he had such a hard time figuring out how we wanted the bills grouped.
After getting that sorted, the food actually came quite quickly. We ordered the chicken stir-fry with mango and cashews and a side of rice since it didn't come with it, and pork fried rice served in a young coconut.
Stir-fry came, half the plate was lettuce. Fried rice came, quite miniature. Side of rice came, amazing, $2.28 for a TINY plate of rice that someone can finish in three spoons. Food was plain, nothing special, could've made it at home. The young coconut that the fried rice was in appeared to be re-used, but how can you tell when the food was in it, it's near the end you find out. Gross.
We were still hungry after that, but we're not going to get anything else from there. So $40 and really didn't eat anything. This place sucks. Charges way too much for food court quality food. Don't waste your money here, go elsewhere. -
Review from Tim L.
8/17/2008
Sandwiched between the foot of the Burrard bridge and the seawall lies this little restaurant that offers a great view of the water as well as the city.
The food is typical of a chef/restaurant that is trying to be inventive with their offerings. They all seem to go in the same direction and there really isn't anything new. It's not authentic Thai but it's got that typical contemporary Thai taste to it.
It is the convenient location and the typical "lightness" of a Thai meal that brings in the people hungry from exercising along the seawall.
Service I would've expected to be a bit better but is very typical of more traditional Asian restaurants where you feel inexplicably hurried. -
Review from Natalia H.
3/23/2009
The Alien looooooove this place. She said she goes here pretty often for birthdays and parties and such. Maybe because of the cool decor and awesome view or the food, maybe? Not sure why, but I thought the food was just OKAY.
I must admit though, their lychee drink was very tasty and their cocktail menu sounds like it would be also! The food was not bad, but not great either...nothing special, except the chow moung (steamed homemade flower shaped dumplings stuffed with minced chicken) which had an interesting taste to it. Never had it at other thai restaurants before. If I'm ever in Vancouver, I don't think I'll be going back to this restaurant. I'd rather try something else. -
Review from Ken C.
Burnaby, BC
6/16/2010
This place is definitely a little gem tucked away in a pretty obscure location!
Their signage is pretty small and unless you're reeeaally looking for it, you'll end up driving right by. Google Maps actually has it all wrong and points you too far West, putting you at the rec centre when you should have stopped at the strip mall just before the Burrard street bridge. And even then, you need to walk towards the water before actually seeing the place itself.
However, once you finally find the place, it's pretty awesome. Definitely room for large groups and if you're there at the right time of day, you're presented with a beautiful view while you enjoy your meal. Actually any time of day is probably the right time, but just imagine a stunning sunset in the early evening!
My friends and I all enjoyed they food they had and even though most of the items were the same as the Thai House, we felt that it was just prepared better.
We also found the service was not only friendly but very attentive even though there was another larger group of people dining there at the time.
I don't know if I would go back there just to go there, but it's a place I would definitely recommend to others who want a nice place to dine.
Plus after your meal, you can stroll along the sea wall and just enjoy what Vancouver has to offer! Can't go wrong there! (Provided it's not raining. haha!) -
Review from Ryan L.
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've eaten here several times over the past few years. I've had good food, good service, bad food, and bad service. The most recent visit was a positive one, so hopefully things are on the upswing. Very friendly service on my drop-in take-out order. My chicken pad Thai was excellent and very spicy, just as I ordered it. Big portion, but also a bit pricey for just pad Thai. Overall, not a bad deal for getting take out to eat on the grass overlooking False Creek / English Bay.
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Review from Brent B.
Vancouver, BC
6/9/2011
My take out experience was very disappointing!! The portions were small and expensive! More than that the food itself was below average!!
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Review from football f.
Vancouver, BC
8/1/2011
I have always found the food here to be more flavourful and spicy than most other Thai places, so it keeps me coming back around once a month. I have never had a bad meal here, but the service is only average. The servers don't seem to care, which is why I don't care to come more often. The view is excellent.
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Review from Dean P.
Abbotsford, BC
12/11/2009
Friendly service and tasty food.
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Review from Christine M.
Vancouver, BC
1/7/2010
Coming from Chicago, where Thai food is plentiful and cheap but not necessarily the OG, I was plenty surprised by the spice at Chilli House. The Larb Gai salad was burning hot but very tasty, as was their panang curry. Will for sure be back once the weather is good to take advantage of the gorgeous outdoor seating and some cocktails!
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Review from lisa r.
5/10/2010
I can't tell you about the food here, didn't quite get past the rude and abrupt waitress and manager. I went in person to make a reservation for the evening and the person who took down my name confirmed that we could use our entertainment coupon for the dinner. I went back with my family, at the set time and we were seated in an area where all the staff walk by and you could see the kitchen. I asked about all the empty seats further to the side, I was told it is only if you have reservations. (which we had?) I then tried giving them my coupon before we ordered and the waitress said, " No we won't take it today, it's Mother's Day, a holiday so our computers won't accept it." On the coupon it said good any day Sunday to Thursday. It was Sunday today. I told her the person who took my reservation said it was o.k. to use tonight. She then said, "No, only the manager was at the front today and he would not have said that." Then the manager came along and said " No I didn't take your reservation." I said well there was someone else, you can see my name and number on the reservation sheet from earlier today. The manager and waitress both talking at the same time quickly told us it was a mistake whoever told us this was wrong and they can't help us. (the restaurant meanwhile is more than half empty) The coupon was only for $15 dollars off and considering we were planning to enjoy a nice meal with drinks and appetizers, it would not have been huge savings, but we were so put off by the rude abrasive manners of the manager and waitress we decided to leave. They told us sorry we can't help you.
Well it turned to be a blessing in disguise.
As we walked to another Thai restaurant 10 minutes away, we fell upon a new Vegetarian Chinese restaurant called PANZ vegetarian. The food was exceptional, very much like home made healthy Chinese vegetarian cooking, the staff was very friendly and courteous and in the end they gave us 15% off the meal because it was Mother's Day. Life rewards you in neat ways sometimes.
