Chiang Mai Liberty — Restaurant in Toronto

Just the food alone gets all the stars. This could've been such an amazing experience except for the absurdities of how the staff behaved. Last night, I called and asked if I can get a reservation and they asked when I was likely to show. I told them I would be there after 9.30pm and said they're busy but I could come in and they would seat me at the bar. So we made our way and reached just before 10.05pm. They turned us away saying they don't seat anyone after 10pm. I was like come on for 1) you didn't tell me this info when I called and 2) 5 min from the deadline is a little too strict. They said the bar stool and another table is reserved. So that went on for a good 10 minute. Usually I turn around and leave but this was completely unacceptable behavior. Finally the manager showed up and seated us at a rickety "reserved" table. Whatever happened to these people who reserved these tables. We were done ordering by 10.20pm which is when the manager was reminding the waitress to take last call from everyone. So all this mess for nothing? This is just so bad! Also maybe a good idea to mention in Google and Yelp and website about "no walk-ins after 10pm whatsoever!" because not everyone calls.

Now over to good part. The food was exceptional. The mango salad was so great and so different from traditional Thai places. The green curry was amazing and the best part was the house chili oil. We dug in deep!

Back to absurdities: we were still working on our main course by 10.40pm. There were still quite a lot of people seated. Our waitress wanted to remove our salad bowl while we were still eating our green curry. But get this, she had her hands full from another table. For a split second, we thought she was serving us food we didn't order but in a quick second, we realized, it's the plates from the other tables she just cleared. How is this safe to bring those plates close to our faces while we were still eating. Could she not put away those plates and come back to clear our table? Wow!

Finally, I went to wash my hands and there is a puddle of water under the sink. Gross! I washed my hands and there are no napkins to dry my hands. Turns out they were cleaning and didn't get to refill napkins. Hint: maybe time to get a dryer. I asked the ladies cleaning if they can just get me a napkin. They told me to go into another restroom to grab it. Really? All I asked was a napkin, I don't want to keep jumping from one restroom to another for a napkin to dry my hands.

We left this place by 10.55pm. There were still customers. As you tell can from the timeline, it was unnecessary unwelcome behaviour for a short duration.

Definitely, this place could use a lot of training and mainly not fighting customers...

Dishes Ordered:

Thai Fresh Rolls: ★★★★★ Sweet Potato Fritter: ★★★★★ Tom Yum (Lemongrass Soup): ★★★★★ Famous Pad Thai: ★★★★★ Islamic Noodles: ★★★★★ Mix Vegetable: ★★★★★ Desserts (Black Forest Cheesecake & Giant 5 Layer Chocolate Cake): ★★★★★ Ambience: ★★★★★ Service by Anna: ★★★★★ Overall Experience: ★★★★★ Review:

A delightful surprise awaited us at Chiang Mai in Liberty Village, where the fine dining ambiance juxtaposed with the incredibly reasonable prices to create an immediately impressive experience. The service, particularly by Anna, was nothing short of amazing. She was sweet, helpful, and the staff accommodated the four of us as walk-ins on a bustling Saturday evening at 9:45 PM, which was greatly appreciated.

Thai Fresh Rolls & Sweet Potato Fritter: Our culinary journey began with these appetizers, each presenting a unique blend of flavors and textures. The fresh rolls were a refreshing combination of greens, tofu, avocado, and more, all wrapped in soft rice paper and perfectly complemented by a homemade sweet chili sauce. The sweet potato fritters, with their crisp exterior and soft, flavorful interior, were a fantastic start to our meal.

Tom Yum & Famous Pad Thai: The Tom Yum soup was an exquisite balance of spicy and sour, with a depth of flavor that spoke of its homemade origins. The Famous Pad Thai lived up to its name, with perfectly stir-fried noodles and a harmonious mix of ingredients, making for a memorable dish.

Islamic Noodles & Mix Vegetable: The Islamic Noodles were a standout, offering a unique taste with its combination of spices and homemade curry sauce. The mix vegetable dish was a vibrant array of fresh veggies, stir-fried to perfection, exhibiting the care with which Chiang Mai prepares even the simplest of dishes.

Desserts: The Black Forest Cheesecake and the Giant 5 Layer Chocolate Cake were the perfect end to our meal. The cheesecake was decadently creamy, with the fresh berries and strawberry jam adding a lovely tartness. The chocolate cake was a rich, indulgent delight, with each layer of cake and cream cheese filling more delicious than the last.

Overall Experience: Chiang Mai has captured our hearts with its exceptional service, incredible food, and the surprising value it offers in such an elegant setting. Anna's attentiveness added a personal touch to our dining experience, making us feel truly welcomed. The quality and presentation of the food were outstanding, each dish a testament to the skill and passion behind the scenes. This is a place I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking for a fantastic Thai dining experience in Toronto. Chiang Mai is not just a meal; it's a culinary journey...

I don't make it downtown much these days but when I do, I like to explore restaurants and it doesn't get much better than Chiang Mai! Everything was as perfect as can be, making it a great evening! Read on...

I Love Thai food and I've been to some of the best Thai restaurants in the city and even met a couple of the chefs and owners. Chiang Mai is definitely one of the best! Their flavours, presentation, service, and ambiance are all top notch!

Our order was fairly simple. We started with Thai Calamari and Spring Rolls. Both were simply delicious! This was a good start!

Next, we had the Famous Pad Thai with Tofu, Khao Soi with Chicken, Famous Pad Thai with Lobster, and Pad Thai with Chicken. All were outstanding - presentation and flavours! It was also generous portions, resulting in takeout containers.

The Khao Soi was my favourite of the evening. It was absolutely delicious but the presentation, with the crispy noodles towering above the dish, was very attractive! Despite the noodles, I would have loved some rice to sop up the delicious curry sauce!

To finish the meal, the Mango Sticky Rice and Raspberry Greek Yogurt Cheesecake hit all the right spots. Both were delicious!

The ambiance, food presentation, food taste, decor, and service were all outstanding! We saw lots of beautiful looking dishes leaving the kitchen and everything looked so yummy.

On top of the great food, our server, Kin, was excellent throughout the evening. He was very friendly, attentive, and accommodating, while remaining professional. Bravo!

I rarely give five star ratings, reserving it for restaurants that offer great food, great ambiance, great service, and more. This place absolutely deserves it! We'll definitely have to come back!

PS - Thank you, Porruthai (@billfoodie) for putting this place...