Traditional tapestries line the walls, woven wooden furniture fills the dining room and small clusters of eclectic lights hang overhead at Elephant Ear in Hell’s Kitchen. Sweet, spicy aromas drift through the room.
During my visit, a server emerged from the kitchen carrying one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, a steaming pineapple duck curry that immediately caught my attention, with my mouth watering even before my party and I took a seat.
Opening in late 2024, the restaurant has quickly become a familiar option for those looking for a bite before a Broadway show, an after-show dinner or a nightcap. At Elephant Ear’s helm is founder and chef Patrick Li, who trained under a Michelin-starred chef in Thailand and spent years as an apprentice learning traditional Thai culinary techniques.
Patrick continues to return to Thailand every year to study regional ingredients, street food and Michelin-level cooking techniques, bringing those ideas back to New York to keep the menu evolving.
Rather than simply copying traditional recipes, Elephant Ear takes familiar Thai dishes and reimagines them for an American audience while keeping the flavors and techniques at their core. You’ll still find classics like red and green curry on the menu, but many of the restaurant’s signature dishes draw influences from across Asia and pair traditional techniques with delectable dishes you probably won’t find at any other Thai restaurant in the city.
Currently, the restaurant is running a limited-time promotion for New York Post readers: Get a free Thai iced tea with the code ELEPHANT690.
During our visit, we had a chance to try the signature pineapple duck curry. The large, steaming pot came with tender duck braised for hours, and pineapple dipped in a rich coconut-based sauce.
Another standout was the steamed Chilean sea bass, which came with thin glass noodles that soaked up the tangy, spicy sauce and soft, succulent sea bass topped with chiles and fresh herbs. The dish had a zap of spice, but it coated the palate easily, making me want to savor each bite while simultaneously reaching for another.
Other standouts included the crying tiger with garlic rice, which came with its own sour sauce to pair with the meat, and a fresh, savory mango avocado salad that balanced crunchy fruit and veggies with creamy avocado.
We also enjoyed the stir-fried green beans with sambal sauce, which brought Indonesian influence to the table and added some much-needed crunch to our entrée course.
Portion sizes were big enough to share, giving you the option to order multiple dishes during one sitting and sample more of the menu.
That combination of recognizable Thai flavors and more creative presentations is also what gives several of Elephant Ear’s signature dishes their appeal. You can order something familiar or branch out and experiment with something new.
Whether you’re stopping by on your way to a Broadway show or looking for somewhere to host your next date night or celebration, Elephant Ear makes a great option, especially from its accessible Hell’s Kitchen location just steps from major subway lines. The restaurant itself also leans into the neighborhood’s pre- and post-theater crowd, with several Broadway theaters within walking distance.
While the restaurant has plenty of seating, you can also reserve a table through OpenTable before heading in to help ensure prompt seating, especially if you’re on a time crunch.
This article was written by Nishka Dhawan, Commerce Reporter for the New York Post. Nishka reports on the latest tech launches, innovations and trends to separate the best new products from the “AI slop.” Taking the latest technology for a spin, Nishka tests home appliances and tech products that actually improve your life, from vacuums to headphones to gaming gadgets and more – all while finding the best deals and lowest prices. Before joining The Post in 2026, her work appeared in Rolling Stone, ABC, NBC Select, Reviewed and Digital Trends.
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