Palms Thai
5900 Hollywood Blvd
Ste B
Los Angeles, CA 90028 (323) 462-5073
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
Sun 11:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
71 reviews
Neighborhood: Hollywood
"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM soooooo yummy!!! especially when you're drunk and tired from a night of promoting and clubbing. My friend has been wanting…" read more »
253 Reviews for Palms Thai
I went here for lunch today..saw it on the way back from Al-Wazir. The food was fantastic and lunch time specials were very reasonable..$5.99. They had valet parking but we parked on the street. I ordered the Pad Thai, BUT rice did not come with it..I thought rice always came with Pad Thai..at least that communal rice urn..no? Maybe that's how they tack on a few more dollars. Seating was plenty and looks like they do karaoke there as well. The bathrooms are super clean..like the black granite marble tile. This place must get busy as there are ALOT of tables. Gladly come back again!
I ate the chili and holy basil meat dish and it was good but not good enough for me to ever come back for the food. The place was about half Asian half Caucasian (mostly tourists I guess). Thai Elvis was a disappointment to me cause he hardly moved and I could barley hear him. I probably will never make my way back here and not recommend it to anyone I like.
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Came here for a birthday and they were great about bringing out a small treat, dimming the lights, and having the whole restaurant sing together. We also chanced upon a performance that was quite entertaining. This place is definitely very family-oriented (aka noisy and crowded), but that atmosphere can be pretty awesome sometimes.
Took away a star because of parking. Yes I know I'm cruel.
I went here back in the day and they moved locations from the OG ThaiTown one
2.50 valet
larb
tom kha kai (coco soup)
2 pad kee mao (drunk noodles)
beef salad (forget the name in Thai)
tom sum (papaya salad)
5 thai ice teas
2 rice family size
74 dollars including tip
The food for the price was BOMB. THAT'S how Thai food should taste, everyone in my party loved their food. Flavors were right on. Service was on. Getting our grub on-ON
YEA!
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PAD THAI is SERIOUS business. It is a complicated dish with multiple layers of texture and flavor...it takes a very thoughful and attentive chef to coordinate all the elements to create the perfect pad thai...spicy sweet, with tangy notes, crunchy from roasted peanuts and bean sprouts, al dente noodles, and bits of silky eggs that carry bursts of flavor...okay, I'm salivating
I've eaten pad thais from bangkok to maui, and I think that the pad thai here is one of the most perfectly executed.
Trust me =)
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Pretty good but frankly I think this place gets more credit than it should because of the novelty of Thai Elvis. Even when you show up before the lunchtime crowd, the service seems to be slow.
The pad thai is pretty decent. One of my other favorite Thai dishes, larb, was not so great, however. I think the chef got a little too carried away with the fish sauce and it kind of ruined the dish. The mango smoothie was really good - a friend ordered that one and I was lucky enough to get a taste.
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Damn this food is good AND CHEAP, mind you. I came here with a couple of friends (one of them is half thai and his dad has been coming here for the longest time). How is it that I've never discovered this little gem? It's like family stye chinese restaurant meets thai food...without the round tables, chinese characters in the back (for wedding receptions...chinese people you know what i'm talking about), and fish tank upon entry. Ok, so maybe it's just a good thai restaurant with a home cooking vibe to it and large family-style portions for its cheap prices.
I must say, I've been craving this place since....and now I'm actually heading out to pick up my to-go order...
don't forget to try their fried fish with mango sauce (A-13 on menu)...it's oddly delicious!
Alright maybe a 4.5. I don't know why I forgot to review it since I've been here so many times I'll give it a boost for the Thai Elvis and the fact their Thai tea uses half and half for the creamy part. Yeah, dude, that's how it's done.
What prompted me to review the place was that no one mentioned one of my favorite items on the menu: the deep fried trout with mango fish sauce. Pad thai this, curry that, sure it's good, but this dish annihilates the Gordon's Fisherman. Trout fried till it's crispy then topped with a sweet and sour and salty fish sauce with chunks of slightly green tart mango. SO GOOD, my Mom says Vietnamese people also add green mango to their fish sauce, but it really adds a new dimension. Peanut sauce here is also notable and really makes their chicken satay.
The food decent to great and it's affordable especially by Hollywood standards, it's bumped up in price a buck or two since they moved from their smaller location but not having to wait in a HUGE line is worth it IMO that and the $2 valet parking isn't that bad of a deal.
Things that were mediocre: the soups, the tom yum and tom kah I've had better elsewhere but it's still good. Their pad thai is also good but sometimes I feel like it's overly gooey from the sweet sauce. Service isn't good but it's still a relatively authentic Asian restaurant, I normally don't go into these things expecting to notch service, you can flag down anyone you want to get a refill though and they move my plates. I am satisfied.
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Yet another long, lost love of mine from the days when I lived around the corner in Hollywood. I went back for a visit, because frankly, I haven't found such epic Thai food in NELA. Sure, the Elvis is great, but I really love the food. I always start with the coconut soup. A little goes a long way. Its pretty decedent. The Pad Thai is topped with all the goodies that you'd expect ... they don't' skimp on anything. The seafood platter is fresh and cooked just right, and the staff uses walkies to communicate to the kitchen ... oh so hi-tech! Did I mention its a bargain? And you'll have lunch for the next day.
As everyone has mentioned - there's tons of seating, however, it does get packed. My favorite night to go is Wednesdays: Thai Elvis is there, and the dinner crowd is eclectic!
I wish there was more of a wine/beer selection... however, the Singh Ha Light goes rather well with the dishes.
Take your tourist friends!
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This place would be perfect if Thai Elvis had back up dancers and maybe a live band?!! They really need to crank up his amp because I could barely hear him at times.
The tom kha gai, green curry, ground pork chili basil are excellent choices. The price is right and the service is good.
The last time I went (I've only been there once), our server got a tongue lashing by the head server for handing us the check while I was still stuffing my piehole. So, don't worry about being rushed.
I recommend parking in their garage and getting a nice dose of valet b.o. in your car ($2.50) rather parking on the shady streets.
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It doesn't get much better than scrumptious mostly authentic Thai food, good service, and entertainment.
Seafood items astound here: trout in spicy lime sauce is served sizzling on a skillet with a heaping side of broth, the papaya salad is spicy and spot-on, and the fried catfish in some sweet curry (can't recall the name), I also loved. EDIT: Avoid the wild boar. It's all gristle. The sausage appetizer we enjoyed: fried sour pork (?) sausage served with greens and peanuts. Simple and hearty.
Thai Elvis, though, looks and sounds more and more like Thai Roy Orbison every time I see him. I think he ought to change impersonations!
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Palms thai is awesome. I've never had anything bad here they always seem to be really great. The bad parts are the parking and the dining room and the elvis guy that sings. I don't recommend eating here but taking it to go.
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I've eaten quite a few times. I eat the Pork Chow Mein without any veggies. Only the meat and chicken. The egg rolls are the best that i've ever eaten. Very clean place to eat. The employees are attentive even during very busy lunch times and dinner time. Love this place. I could eat here 3 times a week.
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The food is good and cheap.
One portion can feed you for a day and half.
There's ample seating.
It's close to home.
Nothing reminds me of vomit.
Thai Elvis... he's pretty good too.
Live singing performances to Karaoke tapes of the Carpenters .
A Kermit the Frog Ventriloquist singing show.... don't ask.
Drinking beer with random Asian Divorcees.
Hit or Miss Service.
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Where is Elvis?
I guess he doesn't show up on a Tuesday night @ 6pm.
Well street parking is one hour until 6pm. So I saved the $2.50 on parking.
The staff is very friendly and helpful.
We ordered the Pad Thai. Server recommended. It was pretty good.
It was decent size for $7. I was not able to finish my Pad Thai.
My friend changed her order several times and the server was very patience. She was having a girl moment. :*)
My friend ordered the Pad See Ew. I personally prefer the Pad Thai to Pad See Ew. She said it was great.
And we shared the friend wanton (12).
Other than taking a million years to drive the 10 miles to get there, I was not disappointed with the food while I was there.
Maybe because it was not that very crowded, the service was able to spend time and be more patient.
Well my friend recommended this place cuz its relatively cheap and good. Who doesn't like cheap and good.
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ELVIS IS IN DA HOUSE!
OK. Thai Elvis.
Still.
A great place to hang out with friends, to eat great thai food and to dream you lived in the times of Elvis and his stints in Hawaii and Las Vegas.
Yep. Try the Pad Thai and their Won Ton Soup is delish. They also have wild game on their "special menu" if you are adventurous
Good TImes.
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I have to admit, I'm a bit enamored by this place for its sheer bravado in having the same headlining act for over a decade. I think that when I come here, it's for the novelty of watching Thai Elvis as much as it is for the food. It's almost secondary. But I'm getting ahead of myself... on to the review:
There's limited street parking, but fortunately they have valet parking available, at a cost ($2). The place is huge. Ample seating, though at peak times, you're still looking at a 20+ minute wait for a table. Tables are communal, so don't be surprised if you're seated with another party. It can also get pretty loud here, so don't come here if you're looking for a really intimate setting.
The servers are busy, and they don't make any attempts to hide it. They are constantly scurrying around while talking on their headsets. It's a bit amusing to watch, actually.
The menu is stacked, and there is a lot to look through. For the adventurous, they offer some very exotic dishes, though I've yet to go down that road. Their prices are also very reasonable. I would even venture as far as to say it's pretty cheap. As far as the food is concerned, it's pretty good. I like their curries, and they've got really good duck dishes as well. In fact, I've yet to have a dish that I did not like here.
Then of course, there's Thai Elvis. What can I say? He's pretty damn entertaining. I love bringing out-of-towners here since I love the look on their faces when they first see Thai Elvis. That alone is well worth the price of admission.
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Five reasons to go to Palms Thai:
5. good food
4. cheap food
3. big portions (right portions for Thai food!)
2. helpful wait staff
1. THAI ELVIS!
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Palms Thai has a THAI ELVIS impersonator. THAI... ELVIS. Why are you reading this? Take the 101 to Hollywood Boulevard, go west, and turn left into the parking garage.
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I came here to eat with a couple of girlfriends, one who is Thai. She was so very impressed with the authenticity of the food, as was I. We ordered quite a few dishes, and they were prepared very well, and served similarly to the way they would be served in Thailand (or so I was told). Even the Thai iced-tea had a distinctly better taste to it than most that I have had. Our servers were very friendly and even gave us directions to some of the best Thai dessert houses which were just down the road. The only thing I regret is that we were not there when the Thai Elvis performed, and our valet parking attendant left an alcohol-like smell in our car. Small details :)
This is a fun place to take outt-a-towners because the Thai Elvis is a novelty and the food is pretty good. But, expect a long wait to be seated on the weekends.
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Yeah, this place was awesome.
I've had lots of good thai food in my life and this is right up there with the best.
Plus they have lots of gamey dishes I want to try, like deer, boar, etc.
Just be careful it is a little spicy. If you are not used to it even medium might be too hot for you.
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OK so i went here for lunch today, the service was pretty great, they had lunch specials on a sat, and the food portions were pretty big. The food is really cheap, the specails are all under $7, and are pretty good. We had the bbq chicken and the pad thai noodles, and both dishes were good. It isent as crowded as it gets at nights, and there isent the japanese elvis, but on the up side we did get our own table. Overall this place is a great thai spot if you want to get some good cheap food....
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I have been coming to Palms Thai ever since when it used to be located few blocks away. I like the new location because parking is easier (valet). I have been to current location several times and I enjoy coming here even though it takes me about 2 hours to get up here from Orange Iron Curtain.
Thai Elvis, inexpensive prices, speedy service, good food and great atmosphere. Note - no fried bananas on Saturdays. Apparently, the lady who makes the fried bananas is off on Saturdays....... Soups and papaya salad (with shrimp) are great and they even have brown rice!
Thai Elvis? Just close your eyes and I swear he sounds just like Elvis!
Cheers
This place is awesome! My sister's godfather's driving point for this restaurant was the Thai Elvis impersonator. Upon arriving, he immediately asked if "he" was in, and he was told not tonight. Totally bummed, we proceeded to order a whole bunch of food, including some really good beef salad (mm... beef salad), spring rolls, fish with some kind of mango sauce, shrimp fried rice, etc. They give you so much food for the price, and it was pretty satisfying!
As soon as we got our food, the Thai Elvis impersonator appeared out of nowhere, and it was amazing! At first I thought he was lip-synching, but he wasn't. He is amazing, and so is the Palms.
They used to be better when they were modest.
now they they know that people think they rock and that the thai elvis is king. Tthey have moved to a new location uped their prices and reduced their portions, which puts then on par with most other thai town restraunts. they are no longer better, just average. They don't have to be better because they now rely on reputation. so do you self a favor and try a place you have never been.
$9- 19 meal tax tip boose add $6 per
Used to be 6-15 with add 5 per
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Palms Thai is good, CHEAP, has a huge menu, and a great place to host bigger groups of people. I love love love their Thai iced tea and the pineapple fried rice is sooOooOOoooOooo good. Actually everything I've had there has been super yummy and who doesn't love an Asian Elvis serenading you while you chow down on some curry?!
"Baby, Let's Play House in this Heartbreak Hotel. I'm All Shook Up by your Jailhouse Rock. It's Now or Never, but I Can't Help Falling in Love with your Thai Food..."
I just don't like thai food. But, no matter what, I have to always explain it to other people because no one "gets" why I don't like Thai food. I've even turned down free dinner invitations if I know it's thai food and what Yelper turns down free food?
It's almost too exciting for me. Every mouthful has like 10 flavors and it's literally pulling at different sides of your tongue. It's sweet, now salty, now spicy, now coconutty, now creamy...Just too much...
It took Palms Thai to help introduce me to start liking thai food. I still don't think I will "love it" but at least it's a good start.
It's definitely a great ambiance. The restaurant is huge with some very expert valet parkers. Their walls are lined with Thai wooden murals and articles speaking of their fame...and of Elvis.
Yes, Thai Elvis is a sight to behold. He's almost laughable but so lovable at the same time. You hear his voice and then his paunch doesn't seem so big and his crazy outfit just looks cool. He really is someone to see...
As for the food, I love the fact they have real china that is substantial and beautiful at the same time. Makes you feel like you're really eating out as opposed to eating on plastic plates. BF and I order their coconut soup with shrimp, thai beef with broccoli, and fried shrimp with mango sauce which were all recommended.
And...it's okay. The coconut soup is exactly why I don't like thai food. Too many flavors but it's still likeable. Shrimp is fresh and the ingredients are well thought out. A bit expensive though...
The beef was yicky...it was beef jerky. We sent it back and they did make us one with gravy but it was still super dry. The waitress explained to us that "thai people like their beef really dry and crunchy." oooooooohhhhhh-kay....They get a lot of bonus points for allowing us to send it back and make something new.
The fried fish came with an awesome dipping sauce with onions and cilantro and peanuts. Really good. The plate is really too big for two people.
But, this place has real charm and I can't wait to go back and give them another try...Hopefully, I'll fall in love with your food then...
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My friend went there last week and she ended up in the ER the next day. She had hives all night and was freaked out. I won't be going here. She had the combo fried rice, veggie egg rolls and wontons. And she doesn't have any food allergies that she knows of, she'd never reacted bad to food b4.
Just thought others should be warned...
Best Thai food in Hollywood! They also have an exceptional Thai iced tea with boba. This is a great place to have dinner before a night of partying. The food is authentic, very tasteful and the portions are just right. My personal favorite is the pineapple fried rice. Considering the amount of people that come through here the service is very fast and accurate, I've never had a service issue. Be prepared for a mild wait (15-20 minutes), which is my only complaint about the restaurant. If you want to try the food, but not the crowd, go during the day when it's a lot less crowded.
You can order almost anything off the menu and it will be good, although I cannot speak for some of the more exotic dishes on the menu..gotta love thai-Elvis. I would, however rate this restaurant only one $...it is very inexpensive..:)
This place was pretty good! The food came really fast and was pretty tasty. The pork pad thai is excellent!! I went for lunch so I didn't get to see Thai Elvis...darn! Next time! :) Oh the mango smoothie with boba was delish! I'm such a sucker for boba....I have to point the boba drinks out in half my reviews....but I must say this one was really good....and there wasn't ice chunks (I hate that!) it was blended really well. Overall this place is good and I would want to come again
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I don't remember much, but I do remember thinking, "I want to come back for more."
Aroiiiiiii
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My fave thai dish is Panang Chicken. Mmmm oh so good.
At Palms it was decent. I wasn't impressed but it wasn't bad. All the food as a whole was decent; nothing spectacular. It's really big inside with long tables (like in elementary school), it's loud, and crazy. Thai Elvis came and sang which was hilarious!
Parking was kinda retarded because the valet guys took forever.
Didn't have a great time here but wasn't horrific hence a bland review. Mediocrity is boring. LOL
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What is not to like about this place. To start with, you can valet park in the garage behind Hollywood Blvd for $2.50.
You may have to wait in line for a table as this place gets packed but there is bar with limited beer and even more so limited wine. I think one! But as you wait you can see Thai Elvis sing his classics (if after 7:30PM).
Once seated the menu is large with lots of tasty Thai choices. The servings are huge with plenty to share. Everything was very good and the prices are extremely affordable.
Don't worry about Elvis. They don't blast it too loud. You can still have a conversation without getting too vocal yourself.
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Palms is my favorite Thai restaurant in Hollywood. Not only do I love the Thai Elvis and his pimp car, the food is excellent.
The roast duck curry has been the only thing that hasn't been the best (Osha Thai in S.F. is the best I've tasted so far), but their noodle dishes are divine as are the soups and vegetable dishes. Yummy!
The first time I witnessed the Thai Elvis impersonator I got tunnel vision and felt a little ill... it was so surreal for me, I don't know if I just read too much into it or what or if I was just tripping... it somehow epitomizes "everything LA". It's fantastic and horrifying at the same time. He needs his own billboard.
The food is good and it comes really fast because the waitresses put your order through on these headsets. It's what I imagine it's like to being served by the P.A.'s from the movie set of "Ong-bak Thai Warrior"... so that's kinda weird too.
i like weird.
weird.
(great for large groups / group ordering / group dining)
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My experience with Thai food has been that it is cheap for large portions and consistently good, no matter which restaurant you go to. I like Palms Thai for its spacious interior seating, sexy patio seating and fairly efficient service (lots of employees with headsets running around). I do, however, like Pattaya Thai a little more. The pad thai tastes noticeably better and the restaurant is more intimate. For all you Thai Elvis lovers, Pattaya has the live entertainment aspect as well (karaoke ranges from awk to awesome). Granted, intimacy ain't always what you want. Take larger groups (more than 4 people) to Palms, head over to Pattaya in Silverlake any other time.
Some of the best Thai food I've had!
Very reasonable prices, generous portions, and quick service.
I tried:
Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp
- Great flavor! Huge chunks of pineapple and good-sized, relatively fresh shrimp (as opposed the dinky frozen shrimp you find in most places).
Panang with Beef (Curry)
- Also great flavor with loads of meat. Oddly enough, despite giving you a vat of liquid curry, it isn't "served" with rice. Do they expect you to drink it? We asked for White Rice.
Fried Trout with Mango Salsa
- This was probably my favorite thing there. I was expecting a tiny, bony fish, but it came with two HUGE fillets, deep fried, and cut into 8 generous size pieces. The Mango Salsa isn't very "salsa-like" - its more like the fish sauce that you would have with your stuffed chicken wings.
Definitely a place I'd go back to when I'm craving some cheap eats in Hollywood.
Palms Thai Restaurant has delicious food, good portion sizes, and entertainment that makes me want to come back for more! My first visit there was a dream come true, because I was able to witness the renown Asian Elvis impersonator. He surprised my little tooshie off, once he started his smooth Elvis-like persona. That's not all! The food there is great, especially the coconut soup and the pad sew yew. Reasonably portioned to make me full from one plate and is inexpensive-at the most $7 bucks a plate! A big plus is that they're opened until 2 am on weekends.
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