Blue Elephant Thai Cuisine

Want to start off by saying the food was delicious. But the amount you got for the price tag doesn't match. It truly is a one man show, so be patient, because I promise you, the food is so worth the wait. That said, keep in mind that the restaurant doesn't take cards, so for a party of 4, plan to possibly need around $200 cash on hand. We weren't aware of the fact that he only takes cash or check, and the only sign he had in the whole restaurant was blocked on arrival by a couple of people waiting on their takeout orders. So when he gave us the check in an American Express packet with a card slot, we assumed that like any other restaurant, he would take the card. Immediately stated that they don't take cards. So we had to leave the other couple we were dining with to go find an ATM and have to pay a convenience fee. There were also some signs that he just doesn't want to pay for anything more than he has to (bowls were glued back together and used for serving food; tablecloths that hadn't been replaced when they had stains from years of use; no servers or anyone to help him, broken glass window at the front of the restaurant that was duct taped instead of replaced). Just to be as fair as we can, while the food was absolutely delicious, the overall experience left us put off from coming back.

Exceptional authentic homemade Thai food. Food is made from scratch, so expect some wait time but so so worth it. The owner, Doc, waits on you, prepares and serves your food, etc, etc. Restaurant decor is fantastic. Reservations required since this is a one man operation. Takeout available. Plenty of free parking.

The decor and everything else was absolutely beautiful! The food was amazing! Truly authentic Thai food! By reservation only. Very expensive but worth every penny!!!! Made to order by the chef and owner, Doc. He is a very sweet man and an amazing chef! A definite must visit if in Murrell's inlet! I had the Crispy Duck Pad Tai(I think). I got it Medium, very spicy! Got even more spicy after sitting in the fridge for a few days. More food than we could eat in one sitting!!! Warning Authentic spice level will beat even the most stout person! If you ask they will let you try the spice before you order so you can judge how spicy you want it. Ten times hotter than any 'authentic' Thai restaurant I have ever been to! But it's a sneaky heat so you get to taste all the flavor before the heat kills your taste buds lol. Warning the duck dishes are real duck so keep an eye out for bones! Doc is the only person in the kitchen so be patient!

My son and daughter-in-law treated us to The Blue Elephant last night and all I can say is WOW! Best Thai food that I have ever eaten. I’ve read a lot of reviews complaining about the time, and not being able to get a seat when they see open seats. This establishment is ran by one man. He does everything, from seating you and getting your drinks, to cooking and preparing the food and all the while making sure your drinks are refilled. This is why it is by reservation only and why you see open seats. He is doing everything by himself and filling up a restaurant would not be feasible. I will say if you ever get the chance and make a reservation, do it!!

As an appetizer, I wanted the Calamari but it was unavailable. So I opted for soft wontons stuffed w chicken and swimming in a delicious liquid. My wife had the fried veggie spring rolls tht had a vinegar peanut sauce. As an entree I had the highly recommended crispy duck. The sauce was out of this world fantastic with ginger and pineapple dominating. It included broccoli, mushroom, bamboo shoots and peas that were to perfection and served with white rice. I thought the duck was over cooked but I ate every morsel. My wife had Thai shrimp fried rice. It was nothing spectacular but good enough. The shrimp needed cooked a bit more. They were soft and rather flavorless. The chef was the waiter as well. This place accepts cash only and requires a reservation for dine in. There is Togo available with call in orders. With two beers and a green tea the bill was $95. There's a bit of a lack of attention to detail. Spots on the table cloth and a chipped water glass... Small dining area, only one employee/owner, no credit card acceptance. We were too full for desert. Ambiance was quiet. No music. Nice ornate woodwork. I'd dine here again.

We had an unforgettable dining experience at Blue Elephant Thai Cuisine in Murrells Inlet, SC as always! ✨From the vibrant flavors to the beautiful presentation, this place will exceed all expectations. 😍 The pineapple fried rice with salty pork floss was a tasty revelation, elevating the dish to a whole new level of deliciousness. When I’m telling you that this dish is 100/10 highly recommend, I’m not exaggerating.🍍🐖 But that's not all! The green curry was bursting with flavor once I added a little bit of the salty pork floss. It needed salt but it’s not readily available on the table. 🌿🌶️ Some key notes/takeaways: -Reservation only -Cash only The owner is usually the only person running the show here so reservations are a must. No walk ins unfortunately. The food is a work of art and a culinary adventure for the taste buds for sure. 🖼️ The dishes can be spicy so please note if it says spicy on the menu it’s gonna be hot. 🌶️ 🥵 This isn’t the place where you want to go all out and order a spice level higher than two. My husband and I love spice and found out years ago this one tip can ruin your evening. 😂 With that being said it is a must try if you live or are visiting the Grand Strand. Don’t try to dine here if you are in a rush. Plan a nice date night and enjoy each others company. If you're in the area, I highly recommend giving this gem a try. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you! 😋 #BlueElephantThaiCuisine #MurrellsInletSC #FoodieParadise #FlavorfulDelights #MyrtleBeachFoodieBabe #ThaiFood

Quite possible one of the dirtiest restaurants I've ever been to it starts with dead flowers everywhere that should have been our first sign to run don't walk out of that place but no we stayed. Next we were greeted with some of the dirtiest tablecloths I believe I've ever seen they must have gone down through generations in the family and never been washed once. Took an hour and 45 minutes to receive our food not a big deal except for the fact that the pineapple rice that was ordered was in a rotten pineapple which didn't have the chicken or the shrimp or raisins $220 later we all wish we had just gone to McDonald's and that's a crying shame! Maybe one of the worst parts was the molded water pitcher that the server constantly kept shoving in our faces it was disgusting! The fact that we didn't walk out as a miracle but we did have high hopes when the soup was good and the spring roll appetizer was good. Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid I can't believe we stayed!!

As you'll see in other reviews, this is a true one man show. The owner/chef/server/host is very kind and attentive, and most importantly, he makes some really fantastic thai food. We're vegan and have a really hard time finding anything to eat in Pawleys or Murrels Inlet, but we had no issue here. He was very accommodating. Everything was prepared fresh to order - it's like having a personal chef for the evening. The actual building could probably use some TLC but it didn't bother us and we will return. Cash only, which is a bit of an inconvenience but not a huge deal. I'd plan on $50 a person in cash to be safe. We had drinks, an appetizer, and two entrees and our bill was about $80 before tip. We can't wait to return on our next trip.

Called in a pickup order at 5:49pm. We were told it would be 40 min and they don't take credit cards. At 6:20 we stopped in to see if it happened to be ready. He said it would be 20 more minutes. We drove around for a while and then came back at 6:40. At 6:58 he brought our food out and then said if we wanted the spring rolls we would have to wait 10 more minutes. I explained to him that had already been over an hour. He argued with me and when I told him what time we called in the order he harumphed and said, "so you don't want the spring rolls?" Uh..no. Then he rang up our order and told us one price and then said hang out and started over and our total price increased by almost $20. As another reviewer mentioned, any prices you can find online are very outdated. It was $99 for four entrees. Now for the food. The food was good. If you think...I like it mild but I would like just a small little kick to it..DO NOT order it medium unless you want to put your toilet paper in the freezer. I can do spice but this was ridiculous. Between the three of us who ordered medium, we had to add almost two containers of sour cream to make it edible. I get the massaman curry because I like the peanuts in it. My massaman curry had a total of two peanuts. We will not be going back.

Had dinner there with friends and all of us loved our food and beverages. The best Thai I have ever had. will definitely return. I highly recommend.

The owner needs to hang it up and retire- he is off his game- Worst Thai Food Ever!!!!!! If you happen to have the misfortune of eating at Blue Elephant as your first introduction to Thai Food, I can't think of a worse choice- this place is giving Thai food a bad reputation. Blue Elephant serves Overpriced pathetic tasting food. If a guest has to order peppers to spice up Thai Food - there is something TERRIBLY wrong! First impression was our tablecloth was stained and filthy- the lid of the soup container was glued on with caulk- yes, you heard me correctly- rubbery caulk. We ordered: Tom Kha gai soup- it was Bland, Lacked coconut milk, peppers, cilantro - critical components Papaya salad- lacked peppers, basic seasoning- and the papaya was tough Pad thai- was slimy and gooey - we feared eating too much cuz we thought we'd get food poisoning green curry- watery with no coconut milk- no curry - no basic salt and pepper seasoning. We NEVER have an issue paying high prices for high quality dishes. Blue Elephant was incredibly overpriced and the food was a huge disappointment from both a flavor and presentation perspective. In addition we waited over an hour for our first dish- and it was lackluster at best- Take my advice and skip this place altogether- if you're hungry- grab a biscuit from Bojangles- you'll be far more satisfied. Maybe the owner should go on the tv show, Restaurant Impossible to see if there is any part of the business worth salvaging- I highly doubt it. I would NEVER recommend Blue Elephant under any conditions.

The food here is authentic and delicious. But the protocol is a bit unorthodox. If you wish to dine in you must call first and make a reservation. Even if they're not busy they don't take walk-ins. Once you get to a table, your patience will be rewarded with attentive service and wonderful tastes of Thailand.

Small place, cash only. Run by someone passionate about cooking and Thai food. Unique spot.

Food was delicious. Only bummer is it's cash only and the pricing. The fact that it's cash only is not well advertised and the prices shown online are clearly outdated. I got one entree - drunken noodles with shrimp. Great flavor, great spice, large tender shrimp. But the one dish was $30!! Very cute spot though. Lovely older man running the place.

Wonderfully prepared Thai dishes in a nicely decorated relaxed setting. Perfect for a long leisurely meal with good friends. Wonderful food, service and ambiance!!

Went there on Weds at 6pm, front door locked, no note on the door saying why they are closed. Looks like this place is tango uniform (out of business).

Reservation at 7:30 on Valentines Day. Place was mobbed but we were actually seated on time. Water poured and an elderly man who was bus boy and drink server took our order go wine. He came back three times scribbling our order on a small piece of paper. After 50 minutes I stood outside employee door until chef and owner came out. Wine then arrived. Owner took our order and we split a six piece egg roll with a wonderful sauce. Grateful when that arrived as we were starving as we were now there an hour and a half. My wife ordered the salmon which was supposed to be to have a red curry sauce. It was covered and tasted like a peanut sauce with no heat. I order the Gai pad mat ma-muang. Instead I got pad Thai. Both meals were adequate but not what we ordered. No waiters just the owner/chef and the elderly water boy. They were both at least 75 if I had to guess. Too much for them to do. One couple after a couple beers and egg rolls checked out as they couldn't stand the wait. The food is actually pretty good even if they don't get the orders right. They only accept cash or check. The key issue is service and wait time and two and a half hours was way too long. Most of the prices are in the $20 - $30 range. Wine by glass average $10 to $20.

This place is fire on the mountain , Thai food from the motherland Staff is amazing food incredible

It was just really bad. Ordered the duck curry and was served the chicken curry. As we already waited 30 minutes for the food I just ate it. It had zero flavor, tasted like old chicken in coconut milk. Wasn't offered a discount. Fail.

Small, authentic and fabulous It seemed the owner was on his own tonight but still managed to create some delicious dishes. We had the spring rolls - fried but a little greasy - would skip them the next time... the coconut soup was heavenly and the cashew chicken dish was SO good. I ordered it authentic hot (4 stars) and it did not disappoint. My mouth felt the heat the entire meal. Just how I like it. Do not order it this Spicy if you unless you know you can handle it. I could taste the rest of the dish through the heat, baby corn, onion, cashews, chicken, peppers - all served on beautiful china that made you feel even more special. Go go go to The Blue Elephant if you want to escape the same ole seafood places that surround this area. We will be back!

Come out and support this local spot! We were en route home on our travels and did take out! The owner is gracious and we were happy to support a local restaurant during these trying times for local business owners. Definitely give them a shot for some tasty Thai dishes and friendly service.

After waiting out the worst of the pandemic, I was filled with anticipation to finally get a reservation to dine indoors here. The friendly owner greeted us with a smile like he knew us. He himself took our orders and prepared the dishes which were delicious and completely authentically Thai. The food was spicy and delicious reminded me of my favorite restaurant in Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand. He made us feel very welcome and valued. Even the tableware, created specifically for the restaurant, was beautiful. This is a cash only business, and for now due to COVID, they do not accept walk ins, so be sure to call ahead to reserve a table. I'll be back soon.

We were on a trip to Murrells Inlet and decided to give take out at Blue Elephant a try. I got the Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice, Drunken Noodles, and coconut chicken soup. Where to start? These are usually safe Thai dishes for us that we love everywhere we go. The Pineapple Fried Rice had some strange wiry material on it that no one could recognize. The Drunken Noodles were so tasteless and mushy that we could barely get a bite in. The soup was terrible. These meals did not feel fresh and they were either overcooked or came out of a freezer. We dumped all of it. No value for the quality of ingredients. My wife suffered through food poisoning the next day. For your own safety, do not eat here.

Well worth the wait in line to get in. Make sure to get in line before it opens. All of the entrees we tried were awesome.

Tried this place for the first time. Placed an order for 3 entrees. Mid week , ordered off online menu at 6 pm. Firstly, tried to order 3 deserts with the entrees was told there are no deserts tonight. Next I was given a time of 1 Hour for pickup. Also told CASH ONLY, no credit cards. Arrived in one hour, had to wait an addition 20 minutes for the food. Food was pricey , and NOTHING TO RAVE ABOUT, small portions, chicken dish had very very very little meat! And....it was ground up like chopped beef! Tofu curry was over fried! Hard chunks of overcooked TOFU in spicey curry sauce...could have got this at a Chinese takeout for 1/3 the price! Not going back....sorry! Save your money

I would love to say this place is great.... and that the food is good, but I never got my food... waited OVER AN HOUR for the food. The service is nothing special and they didnt do anything to make the experience better

I came here as a recommendation from a friend and boy was I not disappointed. The food was great and the service was impeccable. When we were ready to order the owner/chef came to our table and took our order himself. The other person who was serving our table never let us run out of water or drinks and made sure that he took care of whatever else we needed. This was my fourth time coming here, which is frustrating because often they will close early. Even though the place was dead when we arrived we were asked if we had reservations. It is a 25 minute drive each way to get there for me if there is no traffic, but most days it takes about 40 minutes to get there. Once I even called and asked if they were open, I was told yes, and by the time I got there 30 minutes later they were closed. Come here and enjoy authentic good quality Thai food but be mindful of 2 things: 1) Make reservations 2) Bring cash or check

Ok, so first off, this place looks sort of like a dump from the road. If I had not read the reviews on Yelp, I would have passed on going there. When you walk inside it is a little nicer than it looks from the outside. The bad thing was that I had forgotten about the cash only warnings I had read in the other reviews and when we saw the cash only sign, we realized that we only had $50 in cash between the two of us (and of course, no checkbooks). It really was bad for the restaurant because we certainly would have spent more if we had not been worried about having enough cash on hand. So, instead of going for one of the more expensive dishes, we both decided to have pad thai ($15) and a beer ($4). We wanted to make sure we had enough cash for a decent tip, so we skipped appetizers and dessert. (Sad because I would have liked to try the homemade coconut ice cream with bananas and I am a huge fan of mango sticky rice.) So, all that aside, how was the food? Well, I have never been to Thailand, but I have eaten some really good authentic Thai food and am somewhat picky about it. I thought the food here was really well executed. The pad thai was clean and crisp - easily one of my favorites. (It's not overly sweet or covered in a heavy sauce.) It came with both chicken and shrimp. I generally like medium spice level but I was afraid it might be too spicy here based on some of the other reviews I read, so I expressed my concern to my server and she said that she would put it in as 1.5 on a scale of 1 - 4. That was just right. It was enough that there was a small aftertaste of spice, but nothing slapping you in the face. David ordered his mild (1) and he said it really wasn't spicy at all. One thing that detracted from the overall dining experience was the fact that they brought the first plate a good deal earlier than the second plate. I know they are cooking to order here, but it is really awkward and not a good practice to bring one person's food way before the second person's food comes out. But besides that, our service was fine and I would definitely go back. Next time, I'll have to remember to hit up the ATM first.

I was surprised and excited to find a Thai place in Murrell's Inlet amongst all the seafood places! Unfortunately, Blue Elephant fell flat for me.... I ordered the only 2 noodle dishes on the dinner menu, Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mow (Drunken Noodles). The pad kee mow was in a soupy tomato based sauce, which I've had before at other Thai places. If you prefer the soy sauce based pad kee mow, I'd steer clear of this one. For a noodle dish, there weren't many noodles... and the noodles present were undercooked. It was mostly chicken, onions, peas, and baby corn. The pad thai was no better. It came with shrimp and chicken, both were bland. There were more noodles in this one, but the whole dish was too dry for me... half of the volume came from the raw beansprouts, peanuts, and carrots on top. The only good things were that the decor was beautiful, and the server was very friendly. Overall, it was a pricey ($17/dish), underwhelming meal with great atmosphere.

Amazing place with plenty of vegan options. Great ambiance and decor and the food is even better. Plus, the owner is very friendly, and his attention to detail is clearly evident in the incredible food. Strongly recommend!

Great Thai food! My wife is Thai, and we love trying different restaurants while traveling. We ordered duck curry and basil chicken stir-fry, and truly some of the better Thai food we've had in a while. Highly recommend!

We've loved the Blue Elephant for better than 15 years. Often the owner has had to wait tables and cook. Worth the wait!! Highly recommend this little known secret. Just relax and don't get expect fast food service. Not the place. No credit cards

Summary: washed up owner/chef Dr. Paul refused to correct kitchen error When this place opened around 2004, it was the best (only?) Thai place for miles and miles. It was the first Thai food I ever had, and it set the bar for Thai food that I don't think I've reached again. Unfortunately, that bar wasn't reached on our last trip over last weekend either. It's been about 12 years since I last ate here, and about 8 years since my in-laws dropped in to see Dr. Paul. That's why it didn't alarm me at first when Dr. Paul didn't recognize any of us, even though my in-laws probably ate there hundreds of times from 2004-2010 and often made small talk when it was slow. But somewhere along the line I think he also forgot a thing or two about cooking and hospitality. During our final meal here, we were warned as we always were that Thai food is spicy. We knew from experience that medium at Blue Elephant was more like hot at any other Thai place, but that's what we enjoyed then so the majority of us chose medium this time. I went with hot, because I was more interested in seeing if my tolerance had changed since I was eating my first Thai food. Our appetizers came and they weren't bad; at this point I started wondering if my memories were somewhat rose tinted. After the usual long wait (Dr. Paul takes orders and cooks every dish himself), we got our dishes one by one and started digging in. 3 of the dishes were medium and pretty tasty, so we were off to a good start. Another dish came, medium - the diner said it wasn't as good as she remembered. My dish came, hot - it was as painful and lip numbing as I expected; not complaining. One diner never saw his soup but that turned out to be the least of our worries. The catastrophe began when 2 diners finally got their medium pad thai. It was inedibly spicy. This pad thai was a few times more spicy than medium pad thai of this restaurant's own making years ago. This pad that was probably 10x spicier than any other Thai restaurant's medium. Perhaps most damning, the so-called medium pad thai was more spicy than my hot green curry. This was an obvious kitchen error. Nobody at the table could eat this. I have signed waivers to eat hot wings that weren't this spicy. The restaurant only has one waiter to whom Dr. Paul speaks pointedly and condescendingly at every opportunity. Our waiter understandably was reluctant to call the owner/chef to the table, so we had to practically beg to speak to Dr. Paul. When he finally came to our table, he was nothing like the kind spoken vintner and restaurateur I remembered. He was an old, combative, condescending asshole that told us he always cooks it the same way and that's just how Thai food is and we must not be used to real Thai food. We kept saying that's not how he used to cook it, we can't eat it, and we're not paying for it. He got more and more agitated until he stormed back to the kitchen. We put cash on the table less the pad thai and soup and left. My guess is we'll never see him again. I wish you all could have visited the place when it was better.

After walking through The Night of 1000 Candles at Brookgreen Gardens we worked up an appetite and decided to stop for dinner and it was getting late. We looked on Yelp to find a restaurant on the way home and found the Blue Elephant. The only problem was my car's GPS took us somewhere else and it was getting late. I called the restaurant and he gave us directions. We got there a little before closing, the proprietor in fact unlocked door to lat us in. We ordered the pineapple shrimp special and beef dish with an assortment of vegetables in a curry sauce. They were both delicious and we never felt rushed. As fabulous as the meal was, the best thing was seeing the proud expression on the proprietor's face as we ate, he knew we were enjoying his culinary skills. We talked to him as we were leaving and he told us he had the business 20 years. Can you imagine after 20 years of running a restaurant he still took that much pride in preparing a meal for some late arriving guests. His delicious meals showed how much he loves his patrons.

Just a headache...first they only take cash..so I had to go all the way atm..ordered a vegetarian meal and they put chicken in it..so couldn't even eat it ..couldn't get refund and I had a plane to catch so couldn't wait for them to remake it so I waisted 45 minutes of my trip for nothing

We were two couples celebrating Valentine's Day. My food was delicious and hot (temperature hot) because it came out last. My husband's food was good but cold. The other woman ordered duck which she said was much drier than she'd had on a previous visit. The main reason for my two star review is the service. In a word - terrible. We had to ask repeatedly for more tea, etc. I realize the novelty of having the owner greet you, seat you, and do the cooking...but he only takes cash or checks, so for heaven's sake hire a server! Get all the meals to a table within a 5 minute span if they cannot come out all at the same time. It took 2 hours to get our food, eat and get our check. Crazy! We were the second people to arrive, the restaurant was empty. So I'm not letting the fact that it was Valentines influence my review.

Made a reservation for 8 people several days in advance and when we arrived with our guests they said they did not have a reservation for us. There was only one other four top there yet they could not seat us. This is the definition of don't care so I don't believe this local or my eight friends will be going there again.

In order to really enjoy the Blue Elephant you need to do the following three things: 1) Do NOT be in any kind of a hurry to eat- The owner is the chef and he hand crafts each dish as if he were serving it to his own family. Good, homemade food takes time to prepare. Remember, he is cooking just for you in a boutique setting (small dining room). If you only have an hour to catch dinner, try McDonald's, I here they serve FINE food. 2) Bring cash or check- In the day-in-age in which everyone takes credit cards, the Blue Elephant does not. If you want an around the world experience (two appetizers, two specialty drinks, two entrees, and two desserts) bring about $100. If you are ordering beer or wine (the only alcoholic drinks they serve), bring additional funds. This should cover your order and a generous tip. 3) Be prepared to try something new. The menu is superb and very authentic. Don't be afraid to take the recommendation from the chef. After all, he knows what looks good back there and wants you to, not only come back, but tell your friends and family about it. Also, when you make you reservation, make sure he is cooking the evening you will be there. You will thank me later. 4) You can always add spice to your dish later on. Ask for some spice on the side. They would rather let you add it little by little than for you to spontaneously combust by ordering it too hot. Hey tough guy who eats the hottest of hot wings: You can't handle authentic so don't even think about it. Add spice to your dish gradually as the spice he uses is home grown peppers that will sting you. A little goes a long way. Our latest experience: My wife and I had a rare, rare, rare, evening out together. With two young kids it's impossible go out and enjoy ourselves, at least, for another few years. However, our in-laws blessed us with an opportunity on evening and we both wanted to go to the Blue Elephant, a yearly staple in our restaurant rotation. I must admit, I have been there several times when the owner is not cooking, and, although it is still good, it is not quite as exceptional as when crafts each meal. Call ahead. What to drink: You MUST try the Thai Iced Tea or the Thai Iced Coffee. The Thai iced tea serves multiple purposes other than being the most decadent ice tea you will ever drink. It also puts out the flames extremely well should you choose to turn up the heat on your entree. Appetizers We always struggle on which appetizers to order because they are all so good. This time, by default (they did not have the chicken satay---peanut sauce that accompanies it is off the hook) we ordered the dumplings and the golden shrimp. Superb. The sauces add a ton to each so, feel free to ask for a bit extra if you need it. Entrees We both ordered the Panang Steamed Salmon with no bamboo shoots. I ordered the dish without peas, as well, however, if you enjoy peas, feel free to knock yourself out. My mother ruined me by forcing me to eat them, so now, as a passively aggressive 38 year old I make it a point to never, ever eat them. Parents: Highly encourage your kids to try new things, however, forcing them to eat something that causes them to gag at the dinner table does no one any good. Peas might be the best thing in the world to me these days, however, I'm never going to find out. I digress, my apologies. The entrees were spectacular. Pleasing to the eye, and nose, and of course, the mouth. I added about an 1/8th of a teaspoon of the spice to heat it up a bit and wow, did it ever! It was heaven for me because the dish presents a sweet coconut and peanut front end and then heats up as you enjoy each bite. Superb. I kept the Thai Iced tea close to put the flames out and we enjoyed an incredible, authentic Thai meal. I have been to a TON of Thai restaurants and this one, down to the serving plates and mini-crocs, makes for an wonderfully authentic experience. The chef and owner would also be interested in being your tour guide should you ever decide to go to Thailand. Someday, I hope to take him up on that offer.

No indoor dining. No credit cards accepted. Food was good. Would definitely go again.

Really good. Go early. Very polite. They don't take credit cards. Cash only. Best on the beach.

The Blue Elephant is a hidden Gem among all of the seafood restaurants in Murrells Inlet. Not to say I don't like our fresh local seafood but the Elephant is a delicious change of pace from the normal fare. The food is fresh, made to order and delicious. They do only take cash or check but their Yelp info informs patrons. The staff are friendly and cater to your every need. Yes there is a wait for your dinner (especially if they are crowded) but order an appetizer! It will break up the time while you wait for your entrée. The food is authentic and they can accommodate your spice tolerance. I would recommend 1-1-2 on the spice scale. If you go past 2 you will be sweating & wanting some Thai tea or milk.

Delicious flavors if you're willing to overlook poor customer service. When they messed up our order and gave us "four-star" curry and noodles instead of "two-star," the manager yelled at us and insisted it was mild; he didn't apologize. We couldn't eat more than a bite before we just chugged milk. This place needs to learn Southern hospitality.

Best Thai in SC! Authentic & bedelicious. A true hidden gem. Make reservations. If you have more than 4 in your party, place your order when you make your reservation. The owner cooks everything by himself. Do yourself a favor & order the Tom Kha Gui!

I agree that the owner will not accept that the food is not good. The satay was so dry and tough I couldn't chew it. When I told him that he said that it was supposed to be dry. I had to ask him to repeat it because I couldn't believe my ears. And then he raised his voice and repeated that chicken was supposed to be dry.

Heed my warning, the spice index here is seriously skewed! I loved the Thai food, let's just establish this right up front. The only problem I have with the Blue Elephant is their spice rating system. Out waiter tried to tell us that of the four levels if spice available (mild, medium, hot & authentic) medium was as hot as the hottest she had ever tasted. Now I was just like, really? I know spice, love the heat and have eaten thai food from the Atlantic to the Pacific and everywhere in between and medium ain't cutting it on anyone's scale--but out of respect to the rest of my family I yielded to the medium for all of our dishes. Fast forward to about 10 minutes later. My daughter is crying, yes crying crocodile tears because of the pain, the wife is mad as hell and we are having a domestic dispute because I "Didn't Believe" the waitress. Only my son, the 9 year old spice prodigy who actually makes and sells his own hot sauce is still on my side, but this would be short lived as the viciously aggressive medium spice brought him to his knees in due time. I held my own but ended up in the dog house with the whole family. The food was great but there should be a better system other then the food going from mild to insane dragon's breath fury in one step!

If there is one thing I like, it's Thai food. I live in the Charlotte, NC area and have visited all the Thai restaurants I know of. I have my favorite and few others I visit can compare. So I was predisposed to not be impressed with the Blue Elephant. We got our first clue how good it was going to be when we talked to the table next to us. They have been there before and loved the food, and had also been to Thailand. They said this was very authentic. I was completely mistaken. The staff was very kind, the service was amazingly fast and the food was the best I've had. I do enjoy my food on the spicy side, so when I saw the heat options in the menu (mild, medium, hot and authentic) I was eager to go for the Authentic. When my meal arrived, only about 10 minutes later, I could see the spice and the aroma was amazing. We were given large bowl of Jasmine Rice along with the meal all served on very nice dishes. We were checked on frequently, but not enough to become a bother. When the rice was gone, we were brought more. The flavor of the food was so good. I ate way too much, and still didn't manage to eat all I was given. Do yourself a big favor, and when you're in the Myrtle Beach area, you must visit the Blue Elephant if you're a Thai food lover. I know I will not come to this area without having a meal here.

Maybe the best Thai in the area, maybe even in the state... however a few things that are bothersome. Place is run on a shoestring, but does not need to be... come on... no plastic? Every restaurant and small business owner has to suck it up and take plastic and bite the fees; cash and checks only policy probably drive away 20% of his business. Another thing, the place can get a bit creepy at times. I mean, the AC must be set at 80. The wait staff is very attentive, but they look a bit brow-beat at times. Anyway, if you can tolerate that nonsense, the food is worth the wait (oh, yeah, expect a long wait). Note: Go with mild or medium... the hot and authentic will set off a 5-alarm fire.

The place is small and doesn't look like much from the outside. Let me tell you now in case you haven't heard, bring cash or check! They do not take credit cards. They only had honey for sweetner for the tea which I found somewhat odd that they didn't have sweetener packets. And be warned, food is spicy. Their medium would be considered hot in most other restaurants. I felt that with certain dishes the spiciness distracted from the dish and the flavor. Overall, an interesting experience. I have definately had better Thai food but this was not terrible. I just felt the taste was a little off

Amazing amazing food! We ordered two Pad Thai's and the pineapple rice- AMAZING! Blessed to found this gem!

I always eat at a restaurant at least a couple of times before submitting a review. First the food. My biggest issue with the food was the level of spice. If you order medium it will light your mouth up. It was over-powering for me. On the second visit I ordered mild, but it was next to tasteless. I like my Thai food bold, but not on the over-powering. My experience was consistent with other reviewers on the spice warnings. The atmosphere. Very nice on the inside. This won't disappoint or embarrass you. The service. Top notch, very personable wait staff. The cost. This place is pricey for what you get. They don't take credit cards, so bring your cash. Tough for me to recommend this place because the food didn't meet my expectations. This coupled with the cost and the inconvenience of cash or check only gets it three stars.

Doesn't look like much on the outside but the food is wonderful! Food is always fresh and you know its authentic! Forwarning you must make reservations and pay with cash or check.

This was my first experience with Thai food. Overall I thought I've had better Asian food...but we did have a great hostes who looked out for us the whole time my wife and I were there. I probably won't have Thai anytime soon. I was expecting really good food from the way everyone raved about it...but I've had better Asian food. We probably won't be back to this restaurant. Also, bring cash or check because they don't accept credit cards.

Amazing flavors, best Thai food I've had. Hidden gem !!! Dr. Paul is creating amazing works of art in these incredible dishes.

This is the best Thai food you will find just about anywhere. I had the salmon curry and my wife had red beef curry (medium). Unless you must have extremely hot food, you need not try any of the dishes past medium. If you try the authentic, be sure to have a fire extinguisher. :) The food is served family style in ornate dishes that really give the dining experience that added plus. You can tell that the food is all prepared with fresh ingredients. If you love Thai food and are near Myrtle Beach, you MUST try The Blue Elephant. Take cash or check. They do not take credit cards. Bonus Hint: Try the Thai Sweet Tea!! It's fabulous.

After a lot of consideration, I came to the conclusion that this is my favorite restaurant. I have lived in Charleston, a city renowned for good food, and Blue Elephant is the best Thai food I have ever had. You can tell that the owner/chef really cares about the quality and presentation. Also the only restaurant that makes it spicy enough. I have never been disappointed by any of the dishes I have gotten. Just don't forget they don't take credit cards!

We shared a meal together the green curry with tofu . It was so delicious. The atmosphere makes for a great date. The servers are friendly and the food is authentic thai! Totally worth the drive to murrells inlet !

Food was yummy. I got the yellow curry vegetarian dish and spring rolls. The prices are way more expensive than the older picture. Food was great but not worth $29 total for my meal.