Restaurant – Alt Thai
Consistently Delicious Thai Cousine
Location
Located in Arlington Heights, IL with easy access to parking. Parking at the plaza and additional parking in an underground garage.
- Overall 89%
- Food 95%
- Atmosphere 90%
- Service 85%
- Price 85%
- Location 90%
Consistently Delicious Thai Food
We have been going to Alt Thai for over 15 years. This is absolutely our favorite place in the Northwest suburbs for a few reasons:
• Consistently delicious tasting food
• Freshly made and beautifully presented
• Fantastic appetizers – highly recommend Big Platter with a variety of options and Crispy Calamari Rings, which are very fresh.
•Favorite soup of all time – Tom Kha Soup – you must try it – order the family size to share. It is a coconut base with your choice of meat (chicken is our family favorite) – has a sweet and spicy taste.
• Reasonably priced (for family of 4 – with teens; appetizers, drinks, meals will cost around $100)
• Serving crew is friendly and attentive without being intrusive and interrupting personal conversations
• Fast service -there is usually a minimal time waiting for your food (10 min for drinks/appetizers; 15-20 min for main course; 10 min for deserts)
• Very ambient, cozy and a great place to talk
• Good location & free parking
Get the tables on the left when you enter- where there is more privacy and good street view.
Recommended first visit:
1) Appetizer: Big Platter
2) Soup: Tom Kha Soup;
3) Main Dish: Green curry with your choice of meat or Mixed Vegetables w/ meat choice;
4) Drinks: Thai Ice Tea is a given
5) Dessert: Mango ice cream – delicious
Mild can be still spicy if you have low-spice tolerance.
No need to make a reservation unless it is Father’s Day on Sunday and you come at 6pm. (¬‿¬) You may have to wait a bit then, otherwise we have never waited more than 1-10 minutes.
Atmosphere
The place is medium size without being cramped – around 20 tables or so, which I like. You don’t feel like you are going to a banquet hall. It has a very pleasant ambiance and a cozy atmosphere.
There are always candles on the tables ready to be lighted up for a romantic atmosphere and so much fun for the kids.
Whenever we want to take friends or family to a new place for dinner – our first pick is Alt Thai. It is moderately quiet and you can actually carry on a conversation without being so quiet that you overhear the table next to you. Great acoustics.
Quality of Food
For 10 years going there, we have never had an issue with the quality of food or service. Once or twice there was a bit of wait for food when there was an issue in the kitchen and once when they were especially busy. Otherwise, it is a very reliable place to go for dinner.
My all-time favorite is the Tom Kha soup, absolutely delicious. I prefer it with shrimp but my husband and son love it with chicken. It has a coconut milk base and a perfect combination of spice and sweetness. My second favorite is the Green Curry with Shrimp or chicken. I ask for mild as that is spicy for me. 😉 When I don’t finish, I love to take the leftover juicy sauce home and the next day warm it up and pour it over fresh rice. Yum-yum.
Menu
The menu has a variety of options – from meats such as shrimp, beef, chicken to vegetable options. Many of the dishes you can specify to be prepared as mild, medium, hot & very hot (mild is spicey for us. ♣ There is also a section of non-spicy dishes, appetizers, soups, and desserts.
Service
Only once did we have to wait for a table at AltThai and that was on Father’s Day in June @6pm. But when I say we waited, I mean 10-minute wait, which is very reasonable. All other times we came in we were either seated right away or waited 1-10 minutes.
You get your food quickly. You get your drinks within 5-10 minutes. Appetizers in the next 10 minutes and the main meal within 20-30 minutes from when you came in. Perfect timing in my opinion.
The servers are very polite and accurate. They don’t interrupt your conversations and hover over you. They give you space. If you want to sit and chat longer, they don’t ask you every two minutes whether “you want anything else.”
PRICE
Reasonably priced – appetizers start at $5.50 & up; main dishes start at $11 & up;
Dinner for a family of 4, with teens; appetizers, drinks, main dishes will cost around $100.
CON
The restaurant has two bathroom stalls only. When you go with a family and people are not used to spicy food, you may want to make sure there is a bathroom nearby.