Thai Esane

We got sick from the food !!! On top of that we received ²⁄₃ entrees that were completely different items from what we ordered. The restaurant refused to correct the order or reimburse the cost. They lied to us saying they had but the credit card company received no such request to adjust. The good was just awful, soggy and over salted.

3 times out of the week, i’ll usually crave Thai food thats why it was so important for me to find a cheap and delicious Thai restaurant! I’ve tried a bunch of restaurants in Nashville and Thai Esane took home the prize. If you’re not in the Nashville area, don’t fret! Thai Esane has another location in Antioch! Its part of an Asian supermarket!
I alternate between getting Pad Thai and Pad See Ew. The pad thai is a solid 10, it had enough veggies and peanuts to complement the large portions of noodles! Fair warning: they don’t joke around with their spiciness. I got the medium pad thai thinking I could handle it only to have tears rolling down my face and flames coming off my tongue with each bite. Still, I powered through and finished everything because it was THAT good! The pad see ew is also perfect. How can you go wrong with thick noodles, veggies, and that savory and rich sauce!!!
The portion sizes are pretty big for dinner so you’ll be able to have leftovers that you can take home and eat while you watch chick flicks the next day. Something i’m very guilty of doing on a constant basis! No shame!

Fantastic Phở!!! I have been to several places in Nashville so far for Phở and this one is by far the best.

I was craving Thai food during my trip to Nashville and decided to stop by Thai Esane for lunch. I arrived around 11:00 a.m. on a Monday and the place was packed by 12:00 p.m. I love the atmosphere and ambiance of the inside. It is really clean and classy. The staff was really friendly and kind.
The food was delicious! It was really good for Thai cuisine:
Pad Thai: On point and very flavorful! It’s rare to find really really really good Pad Thai. Thai Esane has delicious Pad Thai! I APPROVE!
Papaya (esanse style): It was refreshing! I would had loved fresh some pork rinds to go with it. I think that was the only thing missing to compliment the papaya. It went really well with the fresh sticky rice.
Red Curry: Very delicious red curry! I also APPROVE this item on the menu.
Thank you for the great dining experience Thai Esane!

I very rarely give one star but my drunken noodles dish was very underwhelming. Noodles were overcooked, easily fell apart and clumped together in small pieces. No taste at all, I added a ton of sriracha just to give it flavor. «I feel like I’m eating nothing» is how I described it to my boyfriend who completely agreed. Before I ordered I asked what the best noodle dish they served here and this is what they recommended. If this is their best I’m not sure I want to return…

Great food! The best Thai restaurant in Nashville! The customer service is superb! The ambiance is beautiful and out of the Thai locations I’ve visited in Nashville, it reminds me of little spot in 5 points Atlanta or the Lazy Leopard in New London. Exquisite!!!

Let’s just say I’ve been here 3 times in two weeks… I am addicted to their papaya salad… The first time I got hot smh and I thought I could handle it but boy was I in for a rude awakening… Lol I stuck through it though because the flavor was so tasty… I came back the second time and got level 2 and it was absolutely heaven in my mouth. I have also tried their steamed dumplings which were pretty good and the summer rolls… I’m not sure if I love the summer rolls or their peanut sauce… I really think it’s the sauce but the actual spring rolls tasted pretty fresh… The server recommended the Sukiyaki which was wow full of flavor. I got the beef with it but it was a bit tough so I really just went around the beef and ate the noodles and veggies and the amazing broth. I would definitely recommend that if nothing else.
The atmosphere was a little left to be desired… But overall I will be going back

This is BY FAR the best Thai restaurant in Nashville, and yes, I’ve been to smiling elephant multiple times. This is my second time having Thai Esane, and it didn’t disappoint! I’m obsessed with everything spicy and when I order Esane Hot here, it’s actually hot! I’m in love with this place and plan on making it a staple in my monthly restaurant outings.

Wonderful! I absolutely love this restaurant, and I am so thrilled to finally find a decent Thai place in the neighborhood. I ordered chicken pad Thai at a high level of spice. The noodles, chicken, and sides were absolute perfection – just a hint of lime, heat from roasted pepper flakes, and slightly chewy noodles all soaked in the perfection of a chilli oil chicken broth. My friend also ordered a Malaysian noodle dish that was also fabulous with a thicker, softer noodle.
Staff was lightning fast, giving us just enough time to order, eat, and get the check while always refilling water or asking for feedback at the most convenient times. It’s so rare to find waiters who know the perfect balance between checking in and leaving diners to themselves.
Ambience felt quite modern and streamlined considering the modest looking brick exterior. They did a wonderful job with a minimalist décor highlighting a few key cultural pieces.
Quick service paired with amazing, perfectly spiced food and calming atmosphere make for a flawless dining experience. I highly recommend this location to anyone in town.

Hmm. Several articles I read about Nashville recommended Thai Esane as one of the outstanding restaurants in Nashville. Seriously? I want to be clear: This is a fine Thai restaurant with traditional Thai dishes, and both the service and food were just fine. However, I guess I was expecting more after the hype, and I found it just to be a run of the mill Thai restaurant that happens to have a nice interior and friendly service. (Disclosure: I lived in the Thai area of NYC, and there are Thai restaurants with many more upscale and innovative menu options than this very typical Thai restaurant). Smiling Elephant in Nashville is one of the finest Thai restaurants I’ve experienced, and this one pales in comparison if you’re looking for something beyond Pad Thai, curry and fried rice.
We enjoyed the curry with broccoli, onions and chicken in thick curry sauce that had a peanut flavor (Panaeng), and the fried rice with broccoli, jalapeño and chicken. I enjoyed both dishes, with a slight preference for the latter because it was unusual.
One suggestion: Be careful about the spice here if you’re sensitive to spicy food. Mild here has spice already, so a choice of a 3 out 5 will certainly provide you with plenty of heat, and a 4 – 5 might just be almost unbearable for many diners. We chose a 3, and some of our food was almost too hot for our palate –and we both love spicy food. If I were to return, I would choose a 2 level.
All in all, a solid option for Thai food in Nashville. It’s just nothing extraordinary or memorable. Hats off for an attractive, clean and friendly place.

I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere inside this great Thai joint just south of downtown. I went with their Pad Thai (because I’m a purist and boring) and thought it was on point. I also tried their «Thai Tea» — certainly a unique flavor, and I’m glad I tried it – but it just wasn’t for me. Although, I think if you liked it, you would really like it (if that makes sense). Service was great and food came fast — very reasonable pricing.
I’d definitely recommend it and I’ll be back to try something different!

I’m a bit of a spicy food fanatic. My wife and I came here, and when I ordered my curry, I told them to make it «As spicy as you can make it.» They didn’t hold back. I got a heaping serving of rice and red curry that was dark red. It was no joke. Amazing, delicious, and when I got a box to go, they even gave me more rice at no extra cost.
Very few spicy foods have kicked my butt like this. This dish literally brought me to tears, in the best way possible. I’d rate them higher if I could.

I would give this a 3.5, but had to go with 3. My favorite part about this place is that there hasn’t been a wait when I’ve gone, even with a group of 10 on a Saturday! The food is pretty good and less expensive than other Thai places I’ve been in Nashville.
The cons for me were slow service and the server switched some of our orders. I feel like the spice level has been different on each visit even though I got medium each time (I can be a spice wimp).
I will keep coming back here but I still prefer Smiling Elephant.

Is this the best Thai food I’ve ever had? No. Is this the best Thai food I’ve had in Nashville? YES, hands down.
The Esane sausage was great — tasted like eating in Thailand — bright flavors, rich, totally yummy. The dipping sauce it came with was legit spicy and SO good I ended up putting it on my sticky rice. Also had Pad See Ew (for the kidlet) and the Malaysian Style Noodles. Both were great and The noodles were cooked so well — not gummy or tough.
Service was pleasant and fast, the Thai tea was good and they serve Beer Chang. Total win and will be my go to for Thai from here on.

It took me a few tries to find a menu item that I love. I finally found it. The Salmon Red Curry is amazing. It’s a nice portion with plenty of fresh vegetables and a side of rice. Tip: I like to sub the sticky rice for the regular jasmine rice. The red curry sauce is to die for. I usually order it at a 3 heat level, which gives it a nice lingering heat. My one negative on the dish is that sometimes the quality of the salmon isn’t as strong.
The service is very friendly, albeit a bit slow.
Great for lunch, dinner, or take-​out.

Went here with a group of 6 on a Saturday night (we arrived between 7 and 7:30). The food was very good — some of the better Thai that I’ve had in Nashville (not that that says so much, but it was pretty good by non-​Nashville standards as well). Based on the food alone, I would have been wavering between a 4 and 5 star review. The service, on the other hand, left a bit to be desired.
To reiterate, my food was fantastic. I got the Peanang curry with chicken, spicy (not the spiciest option) and it was really good. Spicy but still flavorful. To my knowledge, everyone enjoyed their dishes.
As for the service…
We didn’t all arrive at once. I get that that’s annoying and we were waiting for everyone before we ordered food. However, after the first few of us arrived, they stopped asking about drinks and water (even though we had all ordered drinks and water), and often the host would respond to our requests (seeking water or a drink order) only to very rudely tell us, «you have to wait for your server, I don’t know where he is.» Really, you can’t find him? Or get someone a glass of water? I understand that he couldn’t take orders, but some manners would have been nice.
Our server tried. But it was a bit of a mess. One person got three drinks (3 different drinks, I should mention), although he only actually ordered 1. I think that the confusion came from his asking about the menu before he ordered, but he really only ordered one and had to pay for 3. In addition, someone asked to sub his white rice with fried rice. Not an unusual request, you would think… but instead they brought him the fried rice in addition to the white rice and instead of an upcharge, he had to pay for the full order of fried rice in addition to his meal. I did really appreciate that he confirmed all of our food orders before he left the table.
Our table was overflowing with plates, as they never cleared most of the appetizer plates, living little room for our entrée plates (especially since the rice comes on a separate plate)
Don’t even ask me how long it took me to flag down the server for our check. He was gracious about doing separate checks though.
Still gets 4 stars, because I’m feeling generous and because none of the service issues were so egregious as to ruin our evening, but they could definitely stand to improve.

4 for Food, 2 For Atmosphere/​Service
We came in around 8:30pm on a Friday night. I was expecting it to be pretty busy (the Unilocal reviews are pretty high and it is downtown) but surprisingly, it wasn’t. We waited around 5 – 10 at the front door waiting for someone to seat us.
Once we were seated, we asked for water and browsed the large menu. Although this is a thai restaurant, they have lots of other Asian dishes on the menu (phở, etc). We ordered two simple dishes, chicken red curry, thai spicy and beef pad see we.
After ordering, we were brought the check by the waiter. Who apologized after we mentioned the confusion and left. We were delivered our meals within 10 minutes of ordering, both prepared to our liking. The flavor of the pad see we was quite delicious — chewy noodles, rich sauce, crispy but a little chewy beef. The red curry was good — but not fabulous. I am in love with spicy red curry, but I like my curries to be a little thicker (not like paste thick) but not watery. This was watery but still had coconut flavor, fresh vegetables and was made thai spicy. It was really good, but not the best curry in Nashville.
We didnt see the server again from the here’s your check to the ‘can we please have our check now’. Also, their air conditioning was down. We sat in the booth and it was incredibly hot. Eating thai spicy curry in a hot restaurant, isnt the best combo.
We would go back again to try it but I prefer smiling elephant for thai food. Its a pretty atmosphere and has a lot of potential to have better service and working a/​c so I can see why people regularly write higher reviews

I have been wanting to try this place for weeks and now I completely understand what all the hype is about! Thai Esane is as authentic and delicious as it gets.
My husband and I pulled in around 8:15… I believe it closes at 9:00 pm Mondays-​Thursdays and 10:30 pm Friday and Saturday. We were seated immediately and met with the most gracious hospitality. (Which, you do not always find so close to close time). Not to mention, the place was surprisingly crowded for lat on a Thursday night. Glad they are doing such good business.
We each ordered a cocktail and they were both FABULOUS. Mine had gin, ginger beer, fresh basil and it was perfection in a glass. Refreshing, but still carried a strong punch. My husband’s rum cocktail was so good, he didn’t even mind that it was bright pink. He proudly gulped it down.
The first thing we noticed was how the menu had pictures of each dish. This is genius. Especially for people who haven’t had much experience with the Thai menu.
The spring rolls were a perfect appetizer to split. The peanut sauce that came along side was good enough to save for the rest of our food. Love all the cilantro in these babies.
I ordered the Pad Thai with chicken. Delicious! It tasted so fresh and it was the perfect amount of spicy (I asked for it to be between mild and medium and they nailed it). My husband ordered a sweet and sour chicken dish and it too was great. The flavors were complex but not overpowering and we both loved all the veggies in the dish.
We can’t wait to go back!

If I lived in Nashville, I would eat here all the time. I have difficulty finding Thai restaurants that do Thai food to my tastes (I used to work in a west coast Thai restaurant that was really good). Here it is. I have to drive from Louisville to Nashville every time I want Thai food.
The outside of the building looks unassuming, but inside looks like a date night kind of place — cool and contemporary. I ate here with four colleagues.
I had the drunken noodles with tofu, spicy. Great. Really great. My colleagues had pad voon sen, the paneang, and the cashew supreme. They enjoyed it. One was completely new to Thai food, and I recommended she try the cashew supreme, which she had with low spice, and that turned out well.
Service was nice, although slower when it got busy.

After giving it a bit more time, I am now ready to deem Thai Esane the best Thai food in Nashville. Yep, I said it!
I have dined in only once, usually I call for take out, but everything here is just so good. The flavors are amazing, and take your toughest spice lover here cause they don’t mess around with the heat. If you are unsure, just try the mild and build up from there. To give you an idea, I love spicy food and I have to tell them between medium and hot.
They are a popular place and I think that is largely because they are meeting an ethnic food demand in the area (have ya tried to eat at the Smiling Elephant with a big group?!). Keep that in mind if you want to dine in during prime dinner hours. You’re gonna wait a bit. I’ve had to wait some for my take out order too, but usually not more than 10 minutes and I totally give them a break for that since they are typically slammed when I’m hungry.
I always thought I was a green curry kind of gal, but they have turned me into a red one. Their red curry with chicken is fantastic. Like noodles? They can make it as a soup too! Want some wide noodles? Try the Malaysian style noodle. Or the Paneang curry is out of this world as well. I will say that their Pad Thai isn’t quite my favorite, but I think that is because it’s my least favorite Thai dish.
Their cocktails are also delicious and Thai inspired. The Lychee martini is really good and a nice palate cleanser after you’ve scarfed down a belly full of spicy food.
Thai Esane is da bomb guys.