Thai Classic Restaurant

I so hate that this place is closed. This is my go to place for Thai in the city. I’ve had several celebration dinners here and miss it so much. Great food at good price points, with great service and atmosphere. Looking forward to it’s return.

I’ve since ordered from Thai Classic 4 – 5 times and sadly it’s been off and on. But I had to downgrade this time because they took 1.5 hours to deliver our food, when it arrived the bag/​food smelled heavily of cigarette smoke, the food was not spicy at all (when requested extra spicy), the massaman curry was wrong (I think they gave us yellow curry), and the portions were meager (so less veggies in a soup of coconut milk). Had I never eaten at TC before I’d likely have given them a 2.

Good food spot in a pinch. This part of Lakeview does not have the best restaurants as they are crowded out by the typical bar scene. Chen’s even closed recently. This is fine, but certainly can tell the ingredients aren’t the best.

Wow. I ordered via GrubHub. Ordered two meals, both with tofu and received both with chicken. My tea was more than half spilled also. Had them remake order; only half was redelivered! Finally, was refunded for the forgotten portion. :(
Nevermind, this location caught on fire.

Not bad but I’ve had better thai food. Decided to order from Thai Classic cause it was one of the restaurants still open on a Sunday night and delivers.
Potato curry puff: Meh. Tasted kind of weird, not like the traditional curry puff I’m used to. It was kind of sweet and I was looking for more spicy. Definitely won’t order that again.
Panang curry: Decent, but not one of the better ones I’ve had.
Pad See Ew: Delicious! They did this dish right. Flat wide noodles in sweet sauce with eggs, beef, and broccoli.
Chicken Satay: Disappointing. The chicken was kind of chewy and tough, although the peanut sauce is yummy.
Overall, an ok place with some hits and some misses. Not that impressed but not horrified either.

I used to frequent this restaurant when I lived in Lakeview. Now, with the distance, I sadly don’t make it back as often as I’d like. Service is excellent, and the special tables in the floor are so cute! I have yet to have a dish here that I don’t like, but my favorite is the Pad See Ew with extra broccoli. They also make an amazing Panaang Curry and many of the other noodle dishes are excellent as well. BYOB is always a wonderful touch, plus they can accomodate large parties (my birthday party three years back with 15 friends).
I’ve had delivery AND carry out here as well, and the food is as good as in house. You have to try Thai Classic!

I do love me some Thai, and this place serves up some good traditional stuff that will have you leaving satisfied. I hear they’re buffet rocks, but I was there for a dinner and missed it. Check their website too, you can download a coupon there for your meal.
Food rundown:
I had one of the house specials, the Gai Yaang. The bbq chicken was delicious and tender. Could have used more of it, but that’s just because I’m a meat head.
I also shared a Pad Thai and sampled the Panang Curry — both were traditional and good, but nothing spectacular that you couldn’t find elsewhere.
My favorite Thai place in the city so far is Red Pig Asian Kitchen — their food has a more modern flare to it that sets it apart. But if you’re set on traditional, come to Thai Classic.

Awwwwww, yeah! I am back in Thai Classic’s delivery zone! Celebratory dance party! oontz oontz oontz.
I know that there are about a million places that will deliver Thai food to me. Opart, Thai Oscar, and Spoon are right around the corner — but some days, especially those sick days where NO ONE but the delivery man and whoever lives with you should see your face, delivery is a must.
I’ve ordered Thai Classic delivery twice in a week. That’s a big deal. Why? Their menu isn’t huge — which is a great thing, when you don’t want to use your brain too much. Too many delicious things to choose from = brain overload. What they do have on their menu, is really solid Thai food. Last night I had the glass noodles with tofu, and will now declare this my go-​to Thai Classic dish — glass noodles, veggies, tofu, in a garlic soy sauce. The «silver noodle» soup is also a great variation on a noodle soup, and great for cold/​flu season — just make sure to choose chicken as your protein. The soups only come in one size, and are small — so if you’ve looking to steam those sinuses into submission, do what I did and order (at least) 2.
They’re also on GrubHub, which making ordering SO easy, though I will fondly recall the days when I used to call them up and the guy on the phone would slowly repeat everything back to me. I loved that guy!

My friends and I were in a last minute search for a BYOB restaurant, because our first choice couldn’t fit all of us. We came across Thai Classic and decided to give it a try. The staff was welcoming at accommodated our large group.
I ordered the «Garlic Thai Stir Fry» and the dish I received did not resemble any stir fry I’ve ever seen. The base of the dish was a romaine lettuce & spinach mixture, topped with a few veggies, bits of chicken and it all was swimming in some sort of broth. It didn’t taste terrible, but it certainly was unlike other stir fries and definitely not what I was expecting.
When the bill came, my friends and I split the bill with cash and card. We asked the waitress if she could deduct the cash from the bill and split the remaining total between the cards. We told the waitress how much cash there was and also witnessed her counting the cash. When she returned the cards, we discovered that she «miscounted» our cash and overcharged all of the credit cards. After much discussion, we decided to make her aware of the situation. Upon hearing her mistake, she simply reached in the cash register and gave us the debated amount. She was very unapologetic and it made us think she did it on purpose. I completely understand that sometimes mistakes are made, however, this did not seem like a mistake.

I have had several group dinners here and everyone has always enjoyed themselves. It doesn’t mention it on the website or Unilocal page, but they now have some crazy late delivery hours. I was looking for food at 2:15am on a weeknight on Grubhub and this was an option. I was so happy and surprised to see one of my favorite places available so late.
Delivery was fast but the food was nowhere near as good as I am used to it dining in. It wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t good. Very bland and the crab rangoons were burnt.
So, delivery is now available extra late– Yay! Food doesn’t taste as good– Boo!
PS– Thai Classic, please update your website to your new hours.

hmm… well the food is good. but not great. I didnt have the buffet though, I must go back for that. I had the garlic entrée and it was well prepared, I would say the chicken was a little tough for my liking and I was surprised to see lettuce in there, but hey… I like lettuce. Their crab rangoons were nothing short of a disaster though– and I eat crab rangoon everywhere and love it. This is the one place that let me down… but am hoping their cook just had a bad day.
I have to mention that the people here dont speak good english– you will have to repeat yourself a few times to be understood. But that doesnt stop them from having good consumer etiquette. I waited for about 10 mins for my food (which should have been ready 10 mins before I got there, since I called ahead and placed my order and got a time for pick up) but they gave me a coke for my patience. Not that I wanted it, but it was a nice gesture :)
The place looks pretty authentic. If you can sit cross-​legged, I would recommend one of the round tables. And it looks kind of low end, but good food will get you everywhere :)

Cool décor, funky smell, dirty table cloths, off tasting water.
Okay service.
DELICIOUS FOOD.
The panang curry is out of this world. Everything is so fresh and flavorful. The combo A is an amazing deal $ 13 for a ton of food (easily split between 2).
I have absolutely no complaints about the food. Probably a great place to just get take out and eat at home. The restaurant itself wasn’t that appealing to me.

We were in the area to see the Blue Man Group and we were in the mood for Thai. I pulled up Unilocal (duh) and this place came highly recommended. Noting that they were BYOB, we made sure to stop and get some along the way — do it, they are very accommodating. (Living in the suburbs, I wish more places were this way!)
On to the appetizers, we had the fried tofu, which were very tasty and crunchy — not how I am used to it (usually cut thicker which makes them softer inside), but we liked the change. We also ordered the Thai Spring Rolls, they were good, nothing that made them stand out from others I have had elsewhere, though.
The entrees were amazing. Between the three of us we had Panang Tofu (medium), Chicken Curry Noodles (Mild) and Lad Nar Tofu. I’ll start with the Panang Tofu — it was DELICIOUS. I love panang and it was near the top of best ever. All I could have wished for was a little more rice to eat up the remainder of the sauce. They took my empty rice bowl, seeing that half my entrée was left and didn’t ask me if I wanted more. (Which was fine anyhow, since we had more than enough food for the three of us on the table and were unable to take home the leftovers.) Nicely spiced, but could have used a little more heat, especially when compared to my wife’s ‘mild’ curry noodles which were ‘hotter’ than my medium.
My wife’s Chicken curry noodles (mild) were also very delicious and despite them making it spicier than requested, she loved it. A few times she pushed the bowl away to say she was full, but kept going going back anyhow. :)
Our daughter had the Lad Nar Tofu — it was amazing. I usually don’t like the wide noodle dishes because I an not a fan of their texture. That was definitely NOT the case here! They pan fried the noodles a bit before serving them with the (awesome) sauce, tofu and broccoli (which was also perfectly cooked). The pan frying of the noodles gave then a nuttiness and texture that I have not had at any other place where this dish has been ordered.
We will definitely be back — maybe my wife will actually get me and my daughter (both Sox fans) to even go to a Cubs game if this is also on the agenda! :)

Thai Classic is good, but nothing spectacular, at least after my visit. Went with a friend and he ordered green curry while I had the hot basil stir fry. Having been to Thailand, the spicyness of the dishes were left to be desired. Could have been way hotter, but that’s just me. The cooking itself seemed authentic enough, but nothing really blew me away.
The atmosphere is bland, however. They were playing what seemed like a John Mayer pandora station, which didn’t really get me in the mood for Thai cuisine. Service was just okay. Overall, good for the price.
Atmosphere: ⁶⁄₁₀
Service: ⁷⁄₁₀
Food: ⁷⁄₁₀

Food was still fine.
When the temperature is in 90’s on a Friday night, you have to make sure your AC is working. It was a really uncomfortable experience.

Thai Classic piqued my interest after getting takeout – I need to come back for their buffet.
The ambiance:
I can’t speak much to this since I just phoned in an order and was in the restaurant for all but 2 minutes. From what I saw, it’s quiet, intimate, but not formal.
The food:
I ordered a Drunken Noodle (Pad Kee Mao) with Chicken ($ 8.50). I’m going to be nice by discounting my lackluster taste of it to me waiting 30 minutes before digging in (I waited until I got home in Evanston via CTA). The noodles were fairly spicy, but I loved the heat. There was too much heat, though, and not enough savoriness, so it was hard to finish because it was lacking much-​needed flavor. The noodles’ texture was a little tough and gummy, but it was probably my fault with that long ride home.
The service:
I phoned my order in. I came in. Paid. And got my food promptly. No problems!
TL;DR — My fault the Drunken Noodles weren’t great. I’m waiting to go back to try their AYCE buffet (for $ 11.95).

Wanted to grab a quick bite before my flight, so I stopped here for lunch. They have lunch specials which come with soup. I ordered the masaman curry and it was pretty good.
I had a little difficulty finishing my meal because it was more spicy than I expected. The lady warned me, but I just figured that’s something she says to people who are not used to the spiciness of Thai food. I normally get medium spice, but it was more on the level of hot with the places I normally go to. If I ever go again, I’ll be sure to get mild.
The value of this place is probably what stood out the most. You get a lot of food for your money here. The quality and taste of the entrees are pretty good as well.

Thai food that is not only authentic, but wow just wonderful buffet style? It does not get any better than this! I am awestruck because those who know me, will attest that Thai is by far one of my most favorite foods ever!
It was a Sunday in Chicago and the partner wanted Thai Food, and being my favorite food, I will drop a funeral in a minute for Thai, since I live by Midway Airport, and the last Thai place I went to (check out review but you will have to find it since I don’t bash places), had a fly in the beef salad. But I digress…
Any who, I Unilocal-​ed a Thai food establishment that had a buffet, and Thai Classic was the choice. I WAS IN HEAVEN. I mean the buffet (served on Saturdays and Sundays for a mere under $ 12 per person) was really perfect. The Thai Beef Salad (no fly thank you) was amazing, and everyone knows I am a Thai food snob. You can serve as much as you want but please make sure that you eat your portions, due to this raising the prices everywhere.
They gave you a variety of 3 various beverages included in the price, but if you want a Thai Coffee or other special beverage that for another $ 3 and some change you can get that. But why do that when the beverages are just as nice? They do have a very small dining area if you prefer to eat traditionally with out shoes with no chairs and cushions to help you ease your pain at my age *(I’m not that old), so this is very culturally correct here, but please have clean socks and make sure you have clean feet, after all I did see a woman who had talons that would strip up bed sheets!
Just a place to relax and have beautiful conversation. I was really pleased for sure.

So last night, I had another GrubWithUs meal here and I LOVED the fact that we got to sit at one of the tables in the back of the restaurant. You sit on the floor, but then the portion of the floor beneath the table is hollow so you have somewhere to put your legs! They hang down beneath the table instead of being forced to sit cross-​legged the entire meal. It was a fun surprise.
The waitresses were quiet but efficient and brought out a ton of food for us!
Starters:
Salad Rolls (very light and fresh!)
Tofu, mixed greens and crispy fresh vegetables wrapped with soft rice papper, cut bite-​sized and served with plum sauce and ground peanuts.
BBQ Chicken Satay (peanut sauce… mmmmm)
Grilled marinated chicken served with peanut sauce.
Shrimp Sticks
Shrimp wrapped with wheat paper deep-​fried, served with spicy sweet&sour sauce.
Entrees
Orchid Chicken (very tender and flavorful)
white-​meat chicken stir fried with mild chili paste topped with cashew nuts– served in a fresh pineapple shell.
Lemongrass Beef
Stir-​fried marinated beef in lemon grass.
Eggplant Masaman (my absolute fave dish of the night! I love curry sauce)
Eggplant tempura-​style with mild masaman coconut curry sauce.
Sweet and Sour Salmon (nice, light, tasty)
Fresh salmon served with vegetables and sweet and sour sauce.
All of that was served with rice and a cucumber salad. But possibly my favorite part of the night (besides the Eggplant Masaman) was the dessert: Mango Sticky Rice with Homemade Ice Cream!
SO GOOD! Definitely recommend this place for a casual Thai evening near Wrigley.

Ah, the Thai restaurant that (re)started it all for me. Thai Sookdee in Evanston was my first Thai experience, during college, but I didn’t have it again until four years later, when a friend who lived in the neighborhood dragged me here almost against my will. But I owe her a big thanks, because ever since then I have eaten at countless Thai restaurants and consider the cuisine one of my two favorites. It wasn’t that Thai Classic blew me away, but simply that it clued me in that the cuisine in general has a lot to offer my tastebuds. But… I never went back to Thai Classic for almost EIGHT years!
So…how does a neophyte’s recollection stack up to a veteran’s discernment? Eh, it’s pretty good… ish. Silver soup = bland (to me) or satisfying (to my girlfriend), depending on your perspective. It’s glass noodles, tofu cubes, plain broth, green onions, and cilantro. The «squid disco» (just fried calamari) was bad. I love calamari, and I tend to roll my eyes when people describe it as «rubbery.» Sometimes inexpertly cooked calamari can be a little more chewy than the good stuff but to say «rubbery» is exaggeratingly finicky. But this stuff WAS rubbery. The breading component was fine, the chili dipping sauce was fine, but overall this was a D+.
I have to say that the calamari worked better with the sweet dipping sauce provided with the «rice chips» that they served before the meal. I have never seen this at a Thai restaurant, so they get bonus points for that.
Entrees were better. I had a few, er, um, several (thanks darling) bites of the Vegetable Delight which was a well executed version of your standard, plain, stir-​fried vegetables. My choice was the drunken spicy fried rice, since it seemed the closest approximation on the menu to one of my two Thai standbys – basil fried rice. This stuff really was spicy, although not so overpowering to keep me from finishing. I’ll give this dish an overall B+; it had a lot of flavor and a bunch of mushrooms and basil leaves, plus the «fried rice» angle was not too heavy or greasy.
Yesterday I needed heat in my meal, but I’ll come back and try the pad thai and the spring rolls when the weather is warm. Service is a little timid, and if you get there at a peak time you may be forced to sit on the floor on the raised platform instead of at a «real» table. But it’s a great spot for eavesdropping on the compelling triumphs and heart-​wrenching woes of multiple tables’ worth of typical Lakeviewers (yes, please insert eye roll).