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Thai Bistro
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon, Sun 5 pm - 8 pm
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
20 reviews for Thai Bistro
Review Highlights
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"...seafood)) and a #52 Red Curry with chicken (bamboo shoots..." In 2 reviews -
"We rounded out the meal with a bowl of Coconut Rice (great." In 2 reviews
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"...and I started with the Fresh Spring Rolls (soft rice paper..." In 2 reviews
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20 reviews in English
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Review from Janna L.
Updated - 3/1/2012
I cannot help myself but to write another review about Thai Bistro. Yesterday, I even called the owner (he is ALWAYS there!) and complimented him on his food. I do not think I have ever done that before. We just moved this past weekend and there is just no time right now for cooking. We have had take-out many times from this place (we discovered it when we lived close to downtown) and it is always consistently very yummy, has good value and decent portion size. They have in fact the best Pad Thai in Calgary that I have found thus far. Also the best curries. I get the red one and it just warms you from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. This is a place that when I ask for spicy - they make it spicy. (ask for 3 chiles) The steamed rice is always perfect, never mushy or undercooked. I told the owner that we moved far NW but that we would be ordering at least once a week - we like it that much. This restaurant has no delivery service but he said he would be happy to find someone to do it if we gave him 3 hours notice! We would never do that to him, we can drive to this little joint on the edge of China town and know that it is damn worth it.
Would recommend this place to anyone looking for good Thai food. I hope this place thrives and never, ever shuts down.
5 stars.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/7/2011
Well! New to Calgary we had previously combed most of Chinatown for the best pad thai, fried rice… Read more »
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Review from J T.
4/2/2012 1 photo
Outstanding!
I always get Tod Mun if they have it. It's fried fishcakes and it has a really distinctive flavor. The fish cakes were good, but the sauce that came with them was over the top. It was the sweet-spicy-cucumber-penuts sauce that normally comes with many of the Thai starters, but this sauce was anything but normal - thick and sweet, and with a real kick of spice dampened by the cucumbers was more like a chutney actually?...I digress.
For my main I had the stir fry with chicken, peppers, carrots, onions and cashews (I love cashews and almonds in cuisine). This was superb as well. I liked the fact that they didn't thicken it with cornstarch. I really think that cheapens the dish and blends the flavors too much.
Anyway, I really liked Thai Bistro. Lots of locals enjoying dinner or getting take out.
I would have never found this place if it wasn't for Yelp - in fact, I drove by it twice today and didn't even know it - thanks Yelp. -
Review from Angelo T.
11/6/2011
Thai Bistro is a hidden gem in China Town. At least hidden in the sense I've never been there until last night!
I randomly picked this place for our Thai UYE based on reviewer popularity on Yelp (maybe other food review sites *cough*) and everyone was really happy with their dinner experience here. They were very friendly from the get-go and were excited to host a huge group of people on a Saturday night.
Everyone seemed to enjoy their orders. I had stuffed chicken wings to start. How does one stuff a chicken wing with ground beef, noodles, and mushroom? I dunno but I guess MAGIC and MUAY THAI was involved. Either way it was delisciousoness-to-the-max. I didn't know what to order for dinner so I went with the Curry BBQ Duck, which Reginald randomly pointed out. Boy, what a gamble! It was made with yellow curry and had pinneaple and fatty bbq duck pieces. I had it with a bowl of steamed rice and loved the contrast of hot, sweet, and salty. Not one drop of curry sauce was left behind. Also, it went REALLY REALLY REALLY well with the Signha beer I had, the sweetness of the beer was really brought out.
The prices were quite good compared to a previous thai restaurant I frequented in the south (which has now closed down :S). But I'm glad to have found Thai Bistro and would be back soon!
6/30Listed in: BECAUSE I SAID SO!!, Remember remember this…
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Review from Lonnie T.
Delicious! I very rarely eat Thai food. After the experience that I had at this restaurant I'll definitely return again soon!
For some strange reason I've always associated the word, "bistro" with, "expensive". Probably because I work near a bistro that serves fairly fancy food at a high price tag. For those of you like me that didn't know the definition of bistro, it is a small restaurant.
Thai Bistro is that. A small restaurant tucked into the lower level of a building on Centre Street which serves very tasty ethnic cuisine at a low price tag.
I ordered a noodle dish called Pad Woon Sen. The dish had lots of fresh vegetables like peas, cauliflower, corn and peppers mixed with egg over some vermicelli noodles.The noodles were quite glossy and had a wonderful texture, not at all soggy! The sauce was flavorful but did not overpower the flavors of the combined ingredients! That being said I added heaps of hot sauce provided to the table which had a fantastic garlic flavor and aroma!
It should be noted that I went to this venue because of a UYE (Unofficial Yelp Event) which seated approximately 12 Yelpers. I arrived an hour after the event started and was served immediately. My food arrived at the table very quickly after ordering. A few other Yelpers arrived around the same time as me and were served just as quickly. There were other occupied tables that ordered and they had food on their table shortly after. I asked our very friendly server how many kitchen staff they had. Just two! Feeling very positive about the service, the food and the overall impression of this venue.
When it came time to pay the server offered to split the bill without being asked to do so. I was surprised that there was no added gratuity given the size of the group. I tipped handsomely.
In discussing our meals as a group I realized that every dish served here is unique in look, ingredients and flavor. Big plus points for a reason to return again and try something new!
Thank you Thai Bistro for the wonderful experience (and thanks again for not having any distracting televisions)! A great place to keep company and let the days events roll off your back while enjoying a truly excellent meal. Like traveling to another country for an hour or so! -
Review from Reginald T.
Calgary, AB
While it's true that I'll try almost anything once (food wise, anyways), I'm don'tg usually go for Thai food, mainly because I'm not into spicy food that much.
Therefore, I have never been to Thai Bistro except for tonight, and I have to say that it was a great meal.
I got the chicken stir fry with cashews and it was delightful. Not spicy at all and all the flavours were subtle and not overpowering.
The service was excellent and very attentive.
My only complaint was that there wasn't enough chicken to offset the side bowl of rice that I ordered. But the cashews were plentiful and crisp, not soggy.
Definitely will go back and maybe get the same thing, although I'll probably skip the rice next time.
5/30 -
Review from Wendy P.
Yowzah! That curry's spicy! Thankfully, it wasn't mine. Just a nibble from Jan L's dish. Good thing humans can't actually breath fire.
Instead, I had myself some Pad Ped with chicken (stir fry w/ red curry paste, galanga, onion, bamboo shoot, pepper, basil, chili). I ordered it because I wanted to try some bamboo. I had no idea what it tasted like. I still couldn't tell you what it tastes like, but it's probably pretty tasty, because my entire dish was delicious.
I think next time, I'd prefer to order a bunch of dishes to share. The portion was generous, and I ate the whole thing, but I'm not like Joey from friends. I like to share food.
Next time? Take out!
Yelp's 30 Day Challenge: 9/30 -
Review from Lisa P.
11/9/2011 ROTD 12/31/2011
It's been a while since I've had Thai food (other than the take out stuff at the office food court) so I was pretty excited to head out with a group of friends this past weekend. We had a large group, i think about 12 or 13 of us. The restaurant isn't that big but there was certainly room enough for us. The table was all set with plates, water glasses, and cloth napkins awaiting our arrival. The server was attentive and had no problems keeping up with our drink and food orders.
Our food arrived in good time especially considering our large group. The presentation was really nice, something you don't always see unless you're at some fancy schmancy restaurant. Everyone commented on the pretty carrot roses. I thought it was much too pretty to eat. However, several of my dining mates ate theirs. My choice tonight was the pad thai. Fantastic! The portion was large and it was filled with noodles, vegetables and a generous amount of chicken. I'd certainly order it again. Jan L. ordered a spicy curry that was very tasty but a little too hot for my liking. I would consider ordering it as a one and not a three. From what I heard around the table, everyone loved their food. There were lots of smiles and I'm sure happy full tummies at our table. This is one place I'd come back to again. Gonna try a curry next time for sure. -
Review from Arc P.
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Comedian Bobbie Lee once asked regarding Thai food "when did fire become a flavor?" Well I am happy that the answer to this is since the last time I went to Thai Bistro. The atmosphere is calm and almost zen. The green pork curry with coconut rice was spicy, delicious, quality and hardy. All this and a green tea only set me back a resonble $18.10. Perfect for a cold fall night.
Just want to thank TB for making fire a flavor again. You are now my favourite Thai restaurant. And thanks Angelo T. for organizing the UYE ... glad you could make it!
6/30 -
Review from larry h.
11/1/2011
There are a few Thai places in Calgary due to a decent sized Asian population here, and this one's decent! The Pad see ew was light and colorful, and the chicken is made just right - soft, not chewy, but still firm and juicy white breast meat. The Shrimp fresh spring rolls are slightly smaller than I expected with less shrimp than I expected. The noodles at the end of my take-out meal had a small pool of oil on the bottom of the box, kind of gross/overkill. Lastly they do not do take out for thai iced tea, unfortunately for me :(
A great little find with easy parking (paid lot next door, hopped in/out for free for takeout), decent food, and what seemed like a cozy ambiance. Would definitely recommend. -
Review from Axi N.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
As a Thai food lover I must say this place is most excellent!
I had the Tom Ka Kai soup and Pad See Ew and they both were very good.
This place made me happy I had the chance to visit Calgary. -
Review from Vishal M.
Calgary, AB
2/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
No fancy review here...authentic thai food, nice decor, friendly people, yummy food. Give the Pad Thai a try, if you like sweet!
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Review from C T.
Calgary, AB
9/7/2011
Went there for lunch today with a friend. I ordered the Pad Thai Noodles. It was all right with all the seasonings of the pad thai but I found it a little on the sweet side. I asked for hot sauce and the waitress went away and I waited and waited and had to flag down the waiter finally to get my hot sauce. The hot sauce is handmade with vinegar and finely chopped pieces of red chilli and garlic. That was the zip I needed on my noodles.
I may come back and try their dinner dishes. But for me lunch was just all right. Price is reasonably cheap at lunch time. Paid only $7.95 for my meal. -
Review from Nyssa R.
5/30/2011
Have been here once for dinner and once for lunch. Service is excellent! Prices are very reasonable. Serving sizes are just the right amount and nicely presented meals. They make an effort to keep your water full, as their food is fairly spicy.
Definitely recommend the Tom Yum Soup with mushrooms, add meats if wanted. Definitely has all the spices that differentiate the good Thai places from the non-authentic ones. Their noodles are my favorite but their curries are also quite good. If you can take spicy, I would recommend asking extra spicy because I found that aside from the the soup the spices were a little milder than I expected. As far as Thai food goes that I've tried in the city I'd have to say this is probably the best and authentic!
Recommend making reservations for lunch, dinner is not as busy. -
Review from S W.
Calgary, AB
12/22/2011
This place is one of my favourites. Great service. Decent prices. Delicious food. Not too noisy. Pretty much all that you can ask for in a restaurant.
They do have a fairly small menu; but having been there many times with friends (it has been our number one choice for lunch options in the downtown since we discovered it) I can honestly say that none of us has ever had a meal that wasn't delicious. The meals are always beautifully presented as well (which I don't usually care about at all, but they taste as good as they look, so it's a plus). -
Review from Charlotte H.
Calgary, AB
8/18/2011
This is one of my favourite restaurants in Calgary. The food is delicious, the service is excellent (the place is owned by a very friendly Thai guy) and the prices are great.
The resto is in Chinatown, below U&Me. Lunch prices range from $8 to $10. It always seems to be busy at lunchtime so reservation recommended. There's a larger menu for dinner - in particular, I recommend the Pad Bai Gra Prow or the Pla Sam Rot (but maybe not the whole fish). The mango salad or Pla Goong are also my favourites.
We've been to Thailand 5 times and have tried all the Thai resto's in Calgary - this is the best. -
Review from Kaeleigh E.
Calgary, AB
8/26/2010
My favourite Thai place in Calgary!
LOVE THIS PLACE!!
Come early if you're coming around lunch time, there is a very busy lunch rush from all the office buildings around. So either come around 11:30 when it opens or make a reservation.
Lunch specials are incredibly priced.
Food is amazing.
Service is great, the same fella is always working there and is always friendly, always remembers our order (we don't even get menus anymore haha just say hello and he knows what we want!).
Fantastic place I try to go here as often as I can! The basil and chili dish with chicken is my standby but I've also tried the yellow and green curies and they're both fantastic as well. Can't go wrong with a Thai Iced Tea either. -
Review from Allan Y.
Calgary, AB
7/20/2010
The yellow chicken curry was very good... tastes like home cooked food. I wish the portion was larger, but good for lunch. The shrimp spring rolls were hot and crunchy... very good also. Will have to go back sometime to try other dishes.
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Review from Andrew M.
5/10/2009
One of the most authentic Thai restaurants in Calgary. The food has a great contrast of sweet and spicy, and reminded me of my travels to Thailand. The restaurant staff were incredibly nice. We came in 2 minutes before they were supposed to close and they still served us. The food is very reasonably priced, especially for the quality. I will definitely be back.
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Review from Dan T.
Calgary, AB
8/1/2009 6 photos
Fantastic! Tucked away in Chinatown, Thai Bistro was a great find. This little known gem features simple decor, excellent service and great food. For dinner, my fiancé and I started with the Fresh Spring Rolls (soft rice paper rolls stuffed with fresh vegetables (choice of chicken or shrimp) served with peanut sauce). They were bigger than expected, filled with chicken and you could taste the fresh basil & mint. Next, we shared a #64 Gratiam Prig Thai with beef (stir-fried garlic and pepper sauce with vegetables (choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu or shrimp/seafood)) and a #52 Red Curry with chicken (bamboo shoots, peppers, green beans, basil and coconut milk (choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu or shrimp/seafood)). We rounded out the meal with a bowl of Coconut Rice (great!) and a pair of Thai Iced Coffees. While the beef Gratiam Prig Thai was good (the beef was a little too chewy though), the Red Curry chicken was superb! It's the kind of dish I could order every time! It was spicy (but not too spicy) with all white-meat chicken and came in a large bowl. There was more than enough food for the two of us. We'll definitely go there again!
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Review from Lee J.
Calgary, AB
7/5/2010
This Thai-run restaurant is affordable, delicious, friendly and just all around fantastic. Sam, who runs the restaurant, is a delight and really helps you get the meal you are desiring - at the right spice level. Eat here, you won't be sorry!
