Carnation Thai Restaurant Wollongong — Restaurant in Wollongong City Council

I would strongly NOT recommend this place. Felt overcharged and very disappointed. We came to Wollongong for a weekend getaway and chose this Thai restaurant because of the good Google reviews. The food itself was average, nothing special.

The real issue was with the bill. We were 2 adults and 1 child, and only one of us had coconut rice. The menu clearly states “$6 coconut rice per person.” My partner ordered 2 bowls, both for himself, so it should have been just $6. However, we were charged $12. When I questioned this, the staff explained that jasmine rice can be refilled for free, but coconut rice is charged per bowl. Yet the menu shows both jasmine rice and coconut rice under the same “per person” rule.

When I pointed this out again, they simply said, “Everyone knows it.” That made no sense to me at all—especially since it was our first visit and other Thai restaurants don’t do this. They only offered a half-hearted apology without fixing the issue. I took a photo and kept the receipt, but ended up paying $12 for 2 bowls of coconut rice. (Menu and tax invoice attached).

This feels like misleading pricing and poor customer service. To make matters worse, later that evening we all felt uncomfortable, bloated, and kept burping. Definitely not coming back, and I will not recommend this...

We had a Penang Chicken curry and Satay chicken and 🍚 rice ! Visited The Carnation Thai after quite a few years and the food had a lot of taste 👅 and better choices than the Jasmine Rice 🍚 Restaurant! But the decor is lacking! Has not changed much in 30 years just the carpet and the eastern wall with a bit of a mural and timber paneling and some Battons on the ceiling! We visited again with some friends and they said it was the best Thai food in the Illawarra region we had honey chicken 🐓 Penang chicken 🐓 curry money 💰 bags entree Beef Rendang Curry 🍛 chicken something else I can not remember lol 😂 And some Brown Brothers Moscato Rose Sparkling Wine 🍷 We brought our own wine 🍷 and liquors ! You can always get parking in the back streets or in the Council Parking down the street by Jasmine Rice Restaurant ❤️ They have a nicer decorative Ambiance area but not as tasty 👅 food ❤️ The toilets can do with a good clean 🧼 especially the doors 🚪We bad some more please Chicken 🐓 satay skewers chicken 🐓 the meat 🥩 was a little tough? panang curry 🍛 and Phoo soup 🍲 meat 🥩 and vegetables 🌽 and Coke ! The place could do with a good clean! The decor is a bit dated and so is Jasmine Rice restaurant just down the street and the food is not...

Ate here last night with my Thai partner and Friend who know traditional Thai food well clearly. Firstly didn't have some standard dishes a Thai would expect but ok not huge issue. Most staff don't speak Thai too but the real issue was Tom Kha Gai (chicken). This dish is made with no chilli but for my serving it has so much chilli. I struggled to eat it and this is my favourite dish. I wondered why the hell they used chilli and to such an extreme as it was hot for the girls still. Answer came out clear a few hours later and all night n morning. Last day of holidays and I spent it violently on the toilet. They tried using chilli to cover bad chicken. Absolutely disgusting and half a mind to report them also. I completely had to cancel what's left of my holiday to try and drive home. Haven't been able to eat a thing all day and now 4pm debating if I should see a doctor. **Update, day 2 after another night of intense stomach cramps and bright yellow diarrhoea and no sleep. Even your menu has no chilli in that dish and your Lucky I can't post photos in here. You deliberately used rotten chicken to save a couple of dollars. Now I also lose out money from not being...