Funky Elephant SF

"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

"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

"Funky Elephant is the Mission’s party restaurant. The Thai spot is lit up with a spinning disco ball overhead and pink and purple mood lighting, and odds are high you’ll spot at least one group with birthday hats clinking glasses of natural wine. Vibrant dishes add to the fun—papaya salad is refreshing yet fiery. Charcoal grilled pork is crisp around the edges and cuts like butter. And the appropriately named “party wings” are dotted with chilis and perfectly charred. Say yes to another round of wings and keep the soju cocktails coming. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez

"According to our scientific and accurate calculations, adding a disco ball to a dining room makes any meal at least 67% more fun. Not only does this Thai restaurant in the Mission have that spinning disco ball, but it also has pink mood lighting, colorful lights in the bathroom, and fiery, in-your-face dishes (like an eye-watering papaya salad) that guarantee a night you’ll be thinking about for at least three to ten business days. The infectious spot is built for birthdays involving many rounds of natural wine and soju cocktails, or nights that call for big group hangs over charcoal-grilled pork, chili-dotted chicken wings, and some pad thai that’s worthy of celebrating. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez

"Your Order: Papaya Salad Eat enough papaya salads in this city, and after a while, they all begin to taste like how a Journey cover band sounds—the same kind of whatever. But Funky Elephant’s version of shredded papaya, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and snake beans is the papaya salad worldwide icon. The one from this Mission spot will make your eyes roll back and your body tense up, and leave you shivering in excitement—it’s that impressive, drenched in lime, fish sauce, and Thai chilies." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez