Chivit Thamma Da Coffee House, Bistro & Bar — Restaurant in Chiang Rai Province

Chivit Thamma Da is one of my favorite restaurants in Chiang Rai. Like many hidden gems in the charming old town, it’s nestled in a neighborhood where the owners built their love story and consequently the gorgeous European styled house that eventually became the restaurant serving both authentic Northern Thai cuisine and excellent Western cuisine.

Went there twice. The first time, I sat in the sun room where overgrown vines and foliage served as shade for the glass encased space with a cone shaped roof, making it feel like I was dining in a secret garden of sorts. I was lucky to have come at a time when the seasonal dish features Mai Yong Chit or Marion plum salad with shrimp, made of all organic farm to table ingredients that blended surprisingly well together with a splash of spice and fish sauce. I ordered it with Tom Kha, a light chicken and mushroom soup made from a milky white coconut soup base that is flavored by a multitude of fresh organic Thai spices and ginger.

The second time I went, I sat in the frontal parlor next to the fireplace. It bewildered me that there was a fireplace in this quaint little house in Thailand, but I later learned that it can indeed get colder up here than in Bangkok and other Southern cities. It was the perfect setting in which to have the truffle burger, which can without a doubt beat any other burger I’ve ever had in my life. Yes, even the ones I’ve had in the US and in Europe! This is a serious burger, so make sure you’re famished if you order it. Every bite is a savory delight filled with juices flowing out from the unbelievably thick and tender beef patty laced with a generous array of real truffle slices, and sandwiched between perfectly toasted buns. Lightly crisped on the outside, chewy and fluffy in the center.

I didn’t have any of the desserts but took a picture of them sitting seductively in their refrigerated glass showcase.

After the meal, I took a walk outside in the enchanting garden overlooking the river. It really is amazing how much cooler it is outdoors in Chiang Rai than in Bangkok, even in early April. Even with the haze hanging like a veil in the horizon from forest burning in neighboring countries like Burma, the air felt cleaner than on the streets of Bangkok or even LA.

Perhaps this is what it means to live a simple and beautiful life, which translates to Chivit (Life) Thamma...

Extremely Disappointing Dining Experience at Chiang Rai

My recent visit to this restaurant in Thailand left me utterly dismayed with the exorbitant prices, abysmal service, and unprofessional conduct of the staff. The series of events that unfolded during my evening at this establishment were nothing short of a nightmare.

I arrived at the restaurant at 8:50 pm, well within the operating hours, only to be immediately bombarded by the staff to place my order as the kitchen was closing at 9:30 pm. Feeling rushed and pressured, I reluctantly selected the most expensive steak on the menu, being informed that it would take 45 minutes to prepare. However, the wait extended well over an hour, testing my patience to its limits.

To make matters worse, despite having pre-ordered dessert to ensure I could enjoy it before the kitchen closed, I observed other patrons ordering dessert well past the supposed closing time. When my food finally arrived, the waitress insisted I pay the bill promptly, even including the dessert I had requested to cancel. Despite my explicit instructions to remove the dessert from the bill, the waitress persisted in pressuring me to accept it, feigning ignorance and playing coy.

Only after a heated exchange with the waitress, during which my Thai friend intervened on my behalf, was the bill corrected. The waitress's behavior was appalling, as she hovered over me impatiently while I attempted to eat the overpriced steak that had taken an eternity to arrive.

In a final act of unprofessionalism, the waitress confirmed to me that she had understood my friends request to cancel the dessert in Thai, further solidifying her deceptive tactics. Frustrated and disheartened by the entire ordeal, I chose to abandon my meal and depart. I vow never to set foot in the restaurant again and caution all potential diners to heed the plethora of one-star reviews that highlight the establishment's glaring flaws.

In conclusion, my experience at the restaurant was marred by exorbitant prices, subpar service.

I love Thailand but this was a very...

Edited review to clarify and elaborate since the owner seems to disagree with my original opinion of "Place is now overcrowded with tourists and understaffed. Food is acceptable but definitely overpriced.".

I am a return customer and my family members enjoy visiting this quaint cafe with scenic views. On my latest visit, which was during the 4-6pm (supposedly the least crowded time of the day), we had difficulty finding parking lots. We also had difficulty finding seats in the cafe, and no one had attended/assisted us to do so. When we finally found seats, I noticed that some of the cushion on the chairs have been soiled by food/fruits from the surrounding.

As we understand that as it is a popular establishment with many visitors/tourists, we had no issues with the food that took about 15-20 minutes to be prepared. However, when we asked for some ketchup, it was only served to us about 10 minutes later, when we were about done with the meal.

Don't get me wrong - the staff at the café were pleasant, but I believe that they could have be swarmed by the number of patrons. Perhaps there could be some self service counters around so that we don't have to be overreliant on the waiters for things like cutleries/ketchup?

Thank you for replying and taking my feedback into consideration. I still have many fond memories of this place and will be a happy customer to see improvements on...