Café Equator Thai Cuisine

A Delicious Journey to Cafe Equator! I recently had the pleasure of dining at Cafe Equator for lunch, and it was a truly satisfying experience from start to finish. If you're looking for flavorful Thai cuisine with a cozy ambiance, this is definitely a spot to check out. To kick things off, I opted for the Garlic Ribs as an appetizer, and they were an absolute hit. Tender and succulent, each rib was generously coated in a fragrant garlic sauce that was savory and subtly sweet. They were cooked to perfection, falling right off the bone – a fantastic start to the meal! For my main course, I went with the Drunken Noodles, and they certainly didn't disappoint. The wide, flat noodles were perfectly stir-fried with just the right amount of chewiness, and the dish had a wonderful balance of spicy, savory, and fresh flavors. The vegetables were crisp, and the protein (I chose chicken, but they offer other options) was well-integrated. It was a hearty and incredibly satisfying lunch that left me feeling perfectly content. Beyond the delicious food, Cafe Equator has a warm and inviting atmosphere, and the service was attentive and friendly. It's a great spot for a casual lunch or a more intimate dinner. I highly recommend Cafe Equator and will certainly be returning to explore more of their menu!

0/5 Stars – Completely Unacceptable Experience We planned a retirement dinner for one of our doctors and booked this restaurant weeks in advance for a group of 15, specifically reserving a back room. When we arrived, we were told there was no back room—instead, five tables were pushed together at the very front of the restaurant. Disappointing, but we stayed gracious and made it work. Things went downhill quickly from there. While tables were being arranged, the young man who greeted us kindly helped me plan a dessert board and confirmed vegan options for our guest of honor, to be brought out at the end on my tab. He was helpful and professional. Then our server, Siriwan W., arrived and immediately scolded me—rudely—telling me I should speak to her, not “him,” despite him standing right behind her. Her tone was short, dismissive, and hostile from the start. Before ordering, I discreetly stepped aside to explain how checks would be split. I was covering meals for two staff members due to financial constraints and wanted to avoid embarrassing anyone or showing favoritism. This would have totaled 7 checks, not 15. Her response: “No. One check. You can all Venmo.” When I explained this was a professional work dinner and not appropriate, she rolled her eyes, huffed, ignored me, and said her system “couldn’t do that many checks.” I calmly told her I’d do my best to consolidate but needed separate checks. When I privately pointed out the two people I’d be paying for, she snapped, “Tell me when they order,” then walked away rolling her eyes. Ordering was chaotic and uncomfortable. She skipped people, avoided eye contact, snatched menus, and asked for names without acknowledging anyone. Food arrived incorrectly and at different times, forcing the table to wait. Ironically, when checks came out, everyone had individual checks anyway. When I quietly tried to place my two employees’ checks under my credit card, she returned, loudly called me out by name exclaiming she lost what credit card was mine because it was on top of too many tickets, dumped all the tickets back on the table, and made me sort it out publicly—completely undermining the discretion I had tried to maintain all evening. When I reminded her we had discussed this privately before ordering, she grabbed the tray and walked away without a word. No thank-you. No apology. Just hostility. To top it off, every check included a mandatory 20% fee, despite the worst service any of us have experienced. We spent weeks planning this dinner, brought significant business to this restaurant, and left feeling like we were an inconvenience the entire time. Our guest of honor deserved better. No one should feel like they’re walking on eggshells while spending hundreds of dollars. We were all appalled. This was a huge letdown and an unforgettable example of how poor service can ruin what should have been a meaningful celebration.

At Cafe’ Equator Thai Restaurant, my dining experience was truly memorable, thanks in large part to our waitress, Siri. Her passion for Thai cuisine shone through as she made incredible culinary recommendations that showcased the rich, indigenous flavors of her homeland. From the fragrant green curry to the tangy pad thai, each dish was a delightful journey through Thailand’s vibrant culinary heritage. Siri’s pride in her culture was evident, and her thoughtful suggestions made the meal feel personal and special. It was an evening filled with delicious food and a deeper appreciation for Thai traditions.

Coming from Seattle, where there is a lot of Asian food especially Thai food. It’s hard to find a very good Thai restaurant in the south. This place is good still different from what I’m used to, the noodles were still not as flat as I usually eat when I’m in Seattle these noodles are on the chewy side. The sauce reminded me more of a chow fun. The chicken pieces were OK. He was nothing special, but overall friendly service large menu with lots of vegetarian options.

First time in this place highly recommended by friends for years I thought I was going to have a great experience but : 4:30pm ……… Walked in no hostess to seat you and great you properly. The person that got us a table was the one serving, taking to go orders , packing the food, she was alone! The food Phat Tai NO GOOD Server was with a dirty apron not properly dressed for front of the house staff, came once after drinks , someone else charged Our credit cards. Kitchen staff very loud basically screaming to each other. Bad experience ! We even asked if they had a new owner or management but other waitress said no it’s the same. Restaurants are struggling to make it these days for this place to be running like this.

Loved the food here!! Everything we ordered was very flavorful. The papaya salad was a little on the spicy end but we still ate it all! I was a little hesitant to get the grilled chicken wings but they were soooo good...so much flavor, and I only tasted the end of the wing. Our 3 yo devoured the wings! Staff was also very friendly and attentive.

The meal I had at Cafe Equator might be one of the best meals I’ve ever had at a restaurant. The blanket shrimp was to die for. One of my family members who doesn’t like bone-in chicken ate one of the grilled chicken wings and only had good things to say about it. The shrimp rolls are tasty, as well. My entree of veggie equator fried rice w/ tofu was so flavorful and the portion was so huge that I had leftovers! The lemonade was another great choice. So happy I had the chance to stop by Cafe Equator.

Holy moly! I was pleasantly surprised! Where do I start? My sis and I stopped here kind of impromptu. We just wanted somewhere to sit and eat for lunch. So first off there was no parking when we got there. We were told we could park in the breauxmart parking lot across the street, which is no problem. They do have a small parking lot in the back like 4 or 5 cars worth of parking spaces, so keep that in mind when you pull up. Upon entry we were greeted so courteously and we were seated right away. It's a smaller, more intimate restaurant. The environment was calm and low-key. The music was not loud and overbearing like you'd find at some restaurants, so we didn't have to scream at each other to hold a conversation. It was just right. For apps we had the fried calamari, delicious! We destroyed that! For main course, I had the ginger tori (chicken) and my sister had the grilled pork. Oh. My. Gosh. The food here: AMAZING! Everything was fresh and so tasty! I couldn't stop eating, I didn't even pause for a breath. It was that good. The food was seasoned just right and everything blended so perfectly. The egg roll was so good but my only gripe: the egg roll was too small, two bites and it's gone, haha. The sauce they provided for that was fantastic. Everything was cooked to perfection. Oh, by the way, your dishes come with rice. It's not on the menu but it comes with it. You can always order extra on the side. The portions too are a healthy amount. Overall, a great dining experience but my only issues are the parking and the tiny egg rolls. Apart from that, I would definitely recommend this spot for great Thai food!

Incredible Thai food. We started with the chicken satay and the spicy beef paratha. Both were amazing. I'm dreaming of the paratha dish now. My hubby had the red curry with chicken, my friend got chicken pad Thai, his wife had the drunken noodles with chicken, and I had the spicy basil fried rice with chicken. The only downside of this visit is that we were all eating, family style, and one of the friends does not like seafood. Boo. Hiss. We still love him. Every dish was phenomenal. Service was great. It was uncomfortable sitting so close to the door with the cold weather but the food made it worth it. The restaurant is beautiful with the half bench, half chair seating. It's small so be prepared for a wait, but stick it out. Some of the best Thai food we have ever had.

What can I say, they definitely didn't disappoint. The parking was a bit cumbersome, but once my food arrived, I was over the parking debacle fairly quick. Everything arrived super fast and piping hot. The spice levels were on point and the taste was great. The waiter was pleasant and provided above average service. For appetizers we ordered roti, edamame and spring rolls. All three items came to the table very fast. For my entree, I had the drunken noodles with shrimp. It was served with a side of rice, a fried veggie spring roll and a few edamame. All of this for $12 bucks!!! You can't beat that Cafe Equator, "You've Got a Friend in Me"!

My favorite Thai restaurant!! Foods great and so are the prices. My fiancé and I went with another couple and we split a bottle of wine, each of us got our own entree and we got 2 appetizers and the total was $50 per couple.

Small parking lot; great staff; great food. I have been here twice now.. I am just relocating into the area and this place recommended to me by my realtor.

Really delicious food! Been waiting to find a good Thai place and this place did it for me

My wife and I have driven by this place numerous times, and to be honest, I mostly wanted to try the business because of the name. I kept reading the sign in my mind as "Cafe Ecuador". We saw on Yelp that it was a Thai place and since we have been looking for good Thai that was close to us, we decided to give it a try. Aside from parking being a little tough (unless you park in the Breaux mart parking lot), the entire experience was very pleasant. We did not have to wait for a table. The service was pretty average and the food came out pretty quick. The food was better than I expected for Metairie. The food is simple, flavorful, and well-cooked. The garlic ribs appetizer was delicious. The coconut soup was very good, but nothing special. My wife's curry was yellow curry was good and Drunken noodles were also good. This is a very solid 4 stars, and I would be happy to visit again. Ambiance: 3 stars Service: 4 stars Food: 4 stars Value: 4 stars Overall: 4 stars

TL;DR: a go-to for Metairie Thai cuisine. Perhaps not an establishment that you would go to Metairie for out of New Orleans to visit but a fine choice if you find yourself in Metairie when you get hungry. I will and do go again. My experience with Café Equator Thai Cuisine has repeatedly been no less than adequate. It is probably my favorite Thai cuisine in Metairie. The chances of you getting good Thai food in New Orleans is high because of the density of Thai population is East N.O. is high. This place's aesthetic is minimalist and rustic with central see-through displays that contain various pottery teapots. The lunch portions are generally generous enough to make two meal portions out of it, depending on how much you eat. The restroom is cozy, tucked away, and may take some adventuring into backroom storage space. Be aware that if the rain is heavy on your visit that there may be some flooding around the lot and the entrance. My photos should give you an idea of what to expect concerning the inside aesthetic, restrooms, and lunch costs pre-tip. The staff is often unenthusiastic but gets the job done and in a timely manner. Lunch, available on Saturdays, comes with the food mentioned in the menu and includes a small sweet-peanut spring roll, a few edamame (soy beans), and a third thing that seems to be entree-specific. I've seen crunchy noodles (pad thai), fried rice (crystal noodle dishes), and white rice (curry dished) in the third location.

THE LUNCH PORTIONS ARE HUGE. As a woman who loves tofu, I was excited to try their tofu pad Thai because of how busy they were. Their tofu was super chewy. Annoying. But then I tasted other tofu and they were on point. The eggroll that came with the lunch special was nice The rice that came with the lunch special was delish. I'm not usually a fan of rice but I'd just order this it's was so good. Their parking lot was hard to find parking in. The service was slow at best. I was seated and then forgotten. Eventually I was able to order. Paying also was difficult.

I love Thai food and a friend recommended Cafe Equator for dinner. There was adequate parking but I can imagine there not being enough parking during busier times. We were quickly seated and the server did a good job. The menu here is quite extensive and it took me forever to decide what to order. I chose the Pad See Ew (with pork) and a side of Roti. My food was delicious and I didn't have a single complaint. The Pad See Ew was very flavorful and the serving size was big. The Roti was buttery and yummy as expected. I'll definitely be adding this place to my list of go-to restaurants.

Loved the food here!! Everything we ordered was very flavorful. The papaya salad was a little on the spicy end but we still ate it all! I was a little hesitant to get the grilled chicken wings but they were soooo good...so much flavor, and I only tasted the end of the wing. Our 3 yo devoured the wings! Staff was also very friendly and attentive.

I can't understand how the rating is not higher for this place. I have been here several times and have never had a bad meal or bad service. This is definitely the best Thai restaurant in Metairie. The authentic chicken panang is best panang I have ever had. They also have great lunch specials.

Fabulous food. Clean and healthy dellicious food. Great service and atmosphere. Also good delivery from Uber Eats.

4 stars for the food and 3.5 for the service. When we walked in we weren't greeted and it took about 5 minutes for someone to ask if we were dining in or taking out. Finally got our table and the server was a little off putting but we brushed it off. Everything ordered was really good especially the Drunkin noodles and the red curry. The pad Thai was also good it just was like any other pad Thai that I've had from other Thai spots in the surrounding areas. Over all we enjoyed out food and I would say give it a try. If you're looking for a cute date night this would be a good choice it's nice and quiet with dim lighting perfect for date night

This place was recommended by a gentleman who was installing something at the house. I Immediately placed and ordered and headed to pick it up. The place is small and simple, yet really adorable. Definitely coming back for date night! For starters we got the fried tofu and the fried veggie rolls. The veggie rolls were AWESOME. Because we had takeout, by the time we got home, the fried tofu was a tad soggy, still tasty. For our main meal with the vegetable fried rice. The dishes was stir fried perfectly and the pineapples, cashews, and tofu made the dish amazing. It was enough for dinner and lunch so that's a huge plus for me. I can't wait to come again and bring some friends and family. I know they'll enjoy this darling little place.

First time picking up food at Equator. Food was simple fare but delicious and fresh. The service was a disaster. Maybe it was just a bad night, but a total disorganized mess. Total time from order to getting food was 1,5 hours. A sorry for the wait would have been nice.

I loved the food! It was my first time eating Thai and I enjoyed it. I will definitely be back, they have some great lunch specials Monday thru Saturday.

Great food and service, authentic taste. Spice level appropriate. Became top Thai place for me.

I love Cafe Equator! The food is always good & fresh! The wait staff are very attentive! I just love coming here, the atmosphere is always right!

Delicious Thai food hot fresh and delicious lots of vegan vegetarian dishes to choose from! A gem In Metairie that you must visit!

I tried this place with my boyfriend, per his recommendation. I am so glad I gave it a chance. The vegetarian spicy drunken noodle is my favorite. I also love the chicken sate with cucumber and peanut sauce for an appetizer. My boyfriend gets either curry or a noodle dish, and he enjoys both. We love the Thai iced tea, the flavor is wonderful. The service is usually good, but it depends on who you have as your server. They are often busy, so I attribute the sometimes-spotty service to that, but just be mindful of this. I love the atmosphere of the restaurant. The decorations are beautiful, too. I will continue to recommend this place to other Thai food lovers!

I've heard of this place for many years but never visited until tonight. It's a Friday and we arrived at 8pm & had a 5 minute wait. The mango sangria and apple sake were better than expected. My husband and I had curry for the first time ever. He has massaman curry with beef which is sweet and tangy, and I had yellow curry with tofu which was more savory and spiced. Light heat for both which was fine for me, but we could have probably handled medium heat. The blanket shrimp appetizer with plum sauce was hot, crispy, and so good. I have no complaints except that I wish we had dined here before now. We'll be back! (The soup menu looks amazing so we'll be trying those when the temps cool)

Always delicious!!! Fresh good Thai food. Tom kha is my FAVORITE!!! Husband had the pad tai and it was great as well! Perfect stop anytime if the day

Been a patron for years and suddenly got hit with a 10% hidden fee almost $20 on a $200 pickup order TODAY. I would've been okay had I been notified of this charge when I made the call, but they just lost a loyal customer. Receipt just says "takeout packaging service" so I asked the staff about it because I've never seen that before. She tells me it's for orders over $75 mind you it's not my first time ordering takeout over $100. It's NOT okay to not disclose this beforehand. So disappointed because I recommended so many people to this place.

Such a find! Pad Thai in peanut sauce was excellent! Great prices and great service. We were really glad to accidentally come upon this place. My daughter loved the summer rolls.

If you like Thai food, you must try Equator. I've been coming here for years and they never disappoint me. Reasonable prices, and a great lunch menu keeps me coming back. I always get the chicken pad kee mow (drunken noodles), it's flat noodles with onions, squash, bell pepper in a spicy garlic and basil sauce - VERY TASTY. I also get their Thai tea, if you like Thai tea, you'll like tea from Equator. Located right across from Lakeside mall. Very limited parking though. #NeatToBe2021Elite

Best! Thai food. It has been the same great staff for years now. Very reasonable priced lunch special.

My new obsession is Thai food and this did not disappoint. I did get the hottest spice option for my Pad Thai and would say that I thought I could handle. Warning, only professionals need to attempt that heat. I will do one or two level below next time

Always the best Thai food in the greater New Orleans area! I've been coming here for over 10 years. It has been holding down the Thai food forever! Authentic food and a beautiful relaxing setting inside the restaurant. Highly recommend the Tom Kha and Tom Yum soup. Also the pad Thai and Pad See ew. The larb gai is delish! The Lunch specials are great value for the money. They have an entire vegetarian menu as well. My favorite curry is the red curry. They also have a Po Tak soup which is not on any other menu in New Orleans that I can find. The best Thai restaurant for real!!

Ordered fried calamari base on the pic I saw on here. And this is what I got just strips and not crunchy at all flavorless

The flavor was lacking for me. I had really high expectations after seeing the reviews. I had green curry with shrimp. It was lacking in flavor for me. The garlic ribs were not very garlicky. And I think portion size is not worth the price. I also had shrimp rolls. The minced shrimp with vegetables. Eaten alone not very flavorful either but with sauce a little better. Overall, I was disappointed.

TAKE OUT ORDER: I have always enjoyed this Thai spot but I dont visit very often..always seems a bit cumbersome to get there and find parking. I happened to be in the area so decided to pick up lunch...btw..they offer a lunch menu on Saturdays which is unheard of these days. I opted for the Pad Thai with Shrimp. It was packed nicely. Came with a spring roll and dipping sauce. Flavor was great but it was a little on the dry side. Pick up process was efficient and quick. Food still had a good temp by the time I got home..especially since it took me abt 15 min to get home. This place is a great go to for Thai if you are in the area. There are only abt 5 designated parking spots so b prepared to search...unfortunately the Breaux Mart across the street frowns on you parking there even though they always have PLENTY open spots...come on Breaux Mart...share a little. Lol.

Great spot, lots of parking, amazing food. The interior is calming like a spa and the pad thai, all the curries, and the soups are amazing. I've never had a problem with a menu item I've ordered over years of going here. Service is always kind and pretty fast too.

The eggplant basil is absolutely delicious. I have tried this, twice, via delivery, and it makes my spirit so happy! It's so full of eggplant! The flavor profile is excellent. I request mine spicy, and they do just that. I also added shrimp, which were cooked perfectly. The jasmine rice was cooked perfectly as well. This is definitely a comfort meal. The glass noodle soup is fantastic. It is a perfect way to end the meal. Subtle flavor. Very nice to help digest whatever you just ate. Overall, I really enjoyed my food experiences here so far!

I took my whole family here because we wanted to attend the New Orleans Orchid Show at Lakeside Mall. It was very convenient if you want to kill two birds with one stone. This is a very popular Thai restaurant with a typical Thai menu. Great for lunch. Plenty of parking around. They had our reservations correct because we had a large group. Service was stressed but these days service difficulties are more norm than exception. I recommend their fried calamari. We ordered several servings. I have to go back for the stuffed chicken wing.

When ordering food ahead and given a specified time that the food would be ready. You'd expect it to be ready. I ordered and was told 20 minutes. I showed up after 20. Waited an additional 30 minutes and was told there was an additional 10 minutes. If I was given the right time it wouldn't be an issue, but that alone would make me not come back nor recommend this place.

I adore this place! There's a lovely warm light throughout the restaurant and a cute little aquarium at the front. My family and I come here weekly, and we've loved everything we've tried. The thai tea is always a hit too, and any of their desserts are so good! The place is extremely busy though, and the parking lot is almost always full, so try and secure a good spot by going a bit earlier! I've talked to the owners of the place, and they're extremely nice, and while it can take a while to get service if you're dining in, especially during rush hour, but the servers are very sweet as well. They also provide take out, so that's also an option we sometimes do when we're not feeling sitting down and eating. Strongly recommend this place, especially if you're looking for good Asian cuisine in Metairie. (Because goodness knows we don't have many, nonetheless ones that are authentic and taste good)

Excellent food, good service whether eat in or take out. Food is always hot and delicious. I'm a loyal customer to this place.

We stopped by here spontaneously while running errands. We ordered chick pad Thai, yellow curry, and pork + broccoli. Food was fresh and tasty! Enjoyed the sides that were included with these dishes! All Pepsi product drinks are served via bottle (smaller than a bottle you would buy at a convenience store) and there are no refills. The staff here were friendly.

Stopped here after shipping some items at nearby FedEx. I was looking for some Thai food and found this spot. I ordered the Pad Thai since I had a 2 and a half hour drive ahead of me. I decided to eat while there. Not long after getting there a nice lady took my order. I asked the lady about how long it would be and she said 10 to 15 minutes. So I asked her if it was okay if I stepped out and went to Breaux Mart. Which is a grocery store next door to their restaurant and she said that would be fine. So I stepped out and went there picked up a couple of blueberry and cream cheese muffins which by the way was delicious. By the time I return she said my meal would be right out and it was. I ended up taking it to go and eating in my car while I waited on a phone call. But that time was actually pretty good better than I expected. Had a nice flavor and it wasn't salty thank God. At first I thought it was a little light on the amount of food that was given. But it was packed in there pretty good and it was a decent amount in actuality. Overall food the food was pretty good and the service was okay. Not the most personable but definitely not mean.

Great lunch spot! They have delicious food. Don't miss the coconut soup. Love the cashew chicken and pad Thai lunch specials. Fast service. Parking is a little tight. Popular place.

Love this place! It's been my to-go place for Thai food for the last several months. I haven't had the pleasure of dining in, but I have ordered to go directly from the restaurant and delivery on a couple different delivery services. The food is always fresh, right and hot (both in temperature and in spice!). The drunken noodle is my favorite entree and I enjoy the Thai golden rolls and the Flags as appetizers. And writing this review has made me hungry for these items! I will definitely be ordering from here again soon.

Great food, no frills environment. The catfish curry was on point. Well-crisped catfish, tender on the inside. Flavorful curry. I will say I didn't particularly care for their rice though, slightly dry for my tastes. An additional note, I can handle a fair amount of spice. It was spicy enough but I like something that knocks my socks off, so I had to add some chili oil on the side. With that being said, I asked for it to be spicy, and the server (who was friendly and nice) said that it was already made spicy. So just a heads up, if you want some extra kick to make sure to specify that you want it to be more spicy (as it says on the menu to do). Limited parking lot, but some street parking on the side street. Also, heard that they have a great lunch special deal!

I've been craving Thai food for a while so I decided to have lunch at Cafe Equator with some friends. We were all satisfied with everything we ordered! The food was so good we left nothing behind.

Just did carry out and it was delicious! Have eaten in many times before. I highly recommend

Came here with bad expectations mainly because of the review ratings that people give this place. The first thing I noticed was that their water comes straight from tap and tasted like there was no filter. It tasted like chlorine. However, I was surprisingly shocked with how good the food was. Everything was really good and surprisingly filled me up really quickly. One thing I would note is that the drunken noodles were a bit dry. Overall, I would come back here again but for the pad sha calamari and their curry.

I have been to this place several times ! I was pleasantly greeted and seated immediately! This was about 4 pm! Looked over the menu ! Can't remember the elder lady's name but she remembered me from a other visit!! Food came out quick! The Thai fried ribs where amazing ! Also had the Basil fried Rice with chicken! Also had the Roti !! Portions are well worth the cost!! Fresh good food ! Ordered Basil fried rice with shrimp to take home ! Wings also !! I highly recommend it!! I definitely will be a Regular!!!

I've been a Cafe Equator customer for several years and can't believe I'm just reviewing them now. They are very conveniently located on Severn in Metairie, right across from Lakeside Mall, and there are parking lots located in the front and back of the restaurant. The service is great, but I come for the food. I'm a Pad Thai addict, and they serve the best Pad Thai I've had anywhere. And did I mention the chicken satay? It's stellar as well, and it's served with a delicious peanut sauce. My husband is super adventurous, so he's tried a lot more at Equator than I have. I sample lots of what he's got going on in his plate, and I've never tried something I didn't like. The drunken noodle is tasty, and is his favorite here. *My daughter has asked me to make sure I include her input concerning the noodle nest that they serve with all of their lunch specials. She snatches mine every time we have lunch there, so I really couldn't tell you what it tastes like, but she says it's fabulous!

I ordered the Authentic Thai Green Curry and it was bomb!! I've eaten a lot of curry and this one of the best. Packed with flavor and the bowl it came in was a cute touch.

The food was so flavorful and the curry was awesome!!! I also had the grilled garlic wings!!! Yummmmm

Food was great. I got the green curry, my husband the ultimate fried rice. Mine was a bit spicy but not too much, my husband would have preferred his more spicy, but the chef can alter most dishes to your preference. A great quiet place to get a meal after shopping at the mall.