Funky Elephant SF
Thai restaurant · Mission
1270 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Highlights
Bold Thai flavors with spicy party wings & pad thai
Bold Thai flavors with spicy party wings & pad thai
"Planning an all-out birthday bash and looking for a spot that's as colorful as confetti-filled balloons? Funky Elephant in the Mission is the answer. Start with the aptly named party wings tossed with fiery chili jam. Then, sit back and celebrate in the best way possible: with pink lights and a disco ball, actually spicy food, and more than a few glasses of natural wine to make you forget you’re another year older. And don’t worry, you won’t be serenaded with singing and cymbals here (if you’re into that, get to Farmhouse Kitchen)." - julia chen 1, patrick wong, ricky rodriguez
"Traits we look for in a great wing: char, sticky glaze, and meat that slides off the bone with ease. The “party wings” from this Thai restaurant in the Mission possess them all. But their true superpower lies in the fiery housemade chili jam that they’re tossed in. Just one bite will make your lips and tongue burn (and will compel you to urgently signal to a server for a water refill). Don’t worry, everyone else in the room will be doing the same—this spot is a spice-centric extravaganza." - lani conway, julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Dinner at Funky Elephant is loose and fun—just look to the disco ball spinning over the pink-lit dining room as an indicator. The fiery Thai dishes at this Mission spot are just as exciting, like the sticky, charred party wings dotted with Thai chilis and a slow-burn papaya salad. If you’re here with people who start sweating just thinking about chilis (or maybe that’s you?), there are milder, equally fantastic options like an umami-packed pad thai and poached khao mun gai. Keep the natural wine and soju cocktails coming." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"At this Thai restaurant in the Mission, folks will animatedly fan their mouths and flag down staff for another Thai tea—this spot doesn’t hold back on the Thai chilis and leans into soul-curing heat. That heat is the key to each dish's greatness, along with in-your-face flavors like funky, salty, and sweet. The party wings coated in sticky chili jam are on every table, as are plates of umami-packed pad thai and charcoal-grilled pork with a fried egg. Pink lights, neon signs, and a disco ball spinning above create an effortlessly fun night. So hit up your spice-obsessed friends, and get loose over beer and wine." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"This ridiculously small Thai spot (there are only about 15 seats) isn’t just a restaurant—it’s an all-out flavor experience. They specialize in pungent, sinus-clearing comfort food that’s funky, sour, and sweet all at once. It’s hard to believe that this blink-and-you'll-miss-it place, jammed right in the middle of a West Berkeley strip mall, is home to dishes that are this loud and bright. It’s nearly impossible to order wrong here, but the chicken wings tossed in chili jam, an actually hot hot papaya salad, and the red curry with rock cod are the greatest hits. And since you’re here, you might as well get loose over some wine, and don’t resist a selfie in the bathroom under the multi-colored lights." - julia chen 1, lani conway
