Banana Leaf 蕉叶
Some have described it as Disney on speed. Somewhere, amidst a river crawling with fake alligators, long tail boats and overflowing with exotic plastic fruits, lies the answer to your Thai food cravings. Derided by many as a cheesy parody, complete with song-and-dance shows after 7pm at the Gongti Beilu and Zhongguancun locations, Banana Leaf nevertheless retains a strong local following, and the food isn’t bad at all. If kitschy is your game, then this is your place. Voted "Outstanding Thai" in our 2009 Restaurant Awards.
Locations
Sanyuanqiao
- Sanyuanqiao 三元桥
- Inside Sanyuan Dongqiao (on the west side, opposite Jingxin Dasha), Chaoyang District
- 朝阳区三元东桥内侧西边, 京信大厦对面
- Daily 11am-11pm
- 6460 2340
- Parking available
- Chinese and foreign cards accepted
- ¥¥ 30-50 per person
Sanlitun
- Sanlitun 三里屯
- Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
- 朝阳区工体北路4号院内凯富酒店后
- Daily 11am-11pm
- 6506 8855
- Wifi
- Parking available
- Chinese and foreign cards accepted
- ¥¥ 30-50 per person
Zhongguancun
- Zhongguancun 中关村
- 2/F, Finance Center, Zhongguancun Shopping Center, 58 Beisihuan, Haidian District
- 海淀区北四环路58号中关村广场金融中心商业2楼
- Daily 11am-10pm
- 5986 3666
- Wifi
- Parking available
- Chinese and foreign cards accepted
- ¥¥ 30-50 per person
Contact
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Map of Banana Leaf
User reviews of Banana Leaf 蕉叶
Meh
That's exactly how I feel whenever I think about Banana Leaf now. "Meh." I'd much rather go to Purple Haze or even Serve the People.
- 98 views
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How hard isit to get a beer?
As a big group we went to the Sanlitun branch the other day, and the service was a let down. First it took us 10 minutes just to get seated .. we had a large group and one table was too small so we were showed a ''private room'' that was an extra 200 rmb onto the bill, so we went back outside and the staff just stood there looking clueless, while we organised a table ourselves.
Also we didn't get our beer until the 5th attempt of ordering .. every-time someone would run out to the back, but never return with the beer!
But to be fair, the service was fine after that.
The food was average apart from the Curries which were good. We had a green, red and yellow curry and they were all full of flavour, and had good chunks of meat.
The night was good because we were in a large group so it was fun, but otherwise the experience might not have been so good.
- 197 views
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WORST FOOD EVER
Banana leaf certainly did not learn cooking in Thailand.
noodles tasted more like smashed potato, samosa (sure its indian) were terrible fried,
green curry vegetable - basically you get fried salad with a spoon of green curry. Far from Thai curry taste.
The rest, no need to mention.
Service was incredible bad. some parts of barbeque chicken fell on the table, put it back on the plate, said sorry and left.
TOTALLY untrained staff, seems there is no management at all.
NO wonder - the only guests are Chinese, who probably have never been in Thailand or love entertainment - meaning cheap singing with some noisy invitation to dance with women-style man..
I did never spot a foreigner there yet, cos they know-- Thats far from real thai food...
never again
- 299 views
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horrible
We eat very disgusting Thai food listening Michael Jackson ... nice memories ...
- 208 views
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I love Banana Leaf
I love Thai food and the first choice is banana leaf, in the evening, when you are having dinner ,you would enjoy the show there, singer and dancer could make you excited,want to dance with them!
But the food is not very cheap, maybe 300 rmb for 2 people.But still should go to try!!
- 90 views
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lost in the jungle
If you wanna look for nice Thai food you should give this one a try ..
feel like inside old Thai temple who hidden in the jungle and you will expect Lara Croft will enter to look for some treasure.
wanna advice, try it and you will know what i am talking about.
- 94 views
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Thai food by Chinese for Chinese and overpriced
I love thai food and Banana Leaf definately doesnt make Thai food. Mind you its not bad, just that its like going to some of the Chinese pizza places you dont expect real pizza you expect Chinese pizza. Some people love those pizza's others hate it.
Regardless for what the food is and even with the looney decor and singing and dancing its definately not worth the price. Unless of course your taking out a group of Chinese who love "foreign" restaurants with silly themes, i must admit with young Chinese it can be quite a hit :P
- 103 views
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Profoundly unimpressive
I went to this place for the first time on the weekend and came away profoundly unimpressed.
I've been to Thailand many times so I've got some idea what Thai food is supposed to taste like. As some of the other reviewers have noted, what they serve up at Banana Leaf is basically Chinese food (and not great Chinese food at that) garnished with what locals perceive to be some "Thai" touches (ie a bit of oily peanut sauce out of a can served on the side). Then they have the hide to charge you twice as much as what you'd pay in a Chinese restaurant for the privilege of eating "international" food.
Beijing has a lot of very decent international restaurants these days, but this definitely isn't one of them. This is an mediocre Chinese restaurant with inflated prices.
- 123 views
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Chinese food with thai name
Chinese food styled with some coconut flavour and some spicy flavour , made by chiense chefs.
The zhongwanchun branch just doesnt deliver.When they started it was quite nice.
Last experience didnt make me feel good like before.
- 190 views
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Used to be good years ago
When I started eating at this restaurant in 2006, I would highly recommend it to anyone. This is no longer true and would advise everyone to avoid this place at all costs. Money better spent at the close by Purple Haze thai restaurant.
- 176 views
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Funny ambience...nice food
We went there almost every one or two weeks to the Sanlitun one.
Always ordered the same: lemon leaf chicken, royal thai curry prawns, roast pork neck, curry vegetable and a large bucket of rice...yummy...
The gay band was always too nice...
Heard they opened a new one in SOLANA, haven't tried there yet.
- 117 views
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Overpriced Chinese food
This is a review of the Zhongguancun Banana leaf. We had one curry dish there that was good, but everything else was Chinese food with a Thai name. Basically terrible food, and quite overpriced. I give it two stars for the unique atmosphere, but the food is suited for locals who aren't accustomed to eating foreign food.
- 385 views
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Agree
Agree with Koala. Overpriced and an unfortunate mix of Chinese and Thai...Anyway: What's a good Thai restaurant?
- 166 views
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Overpriced dumb down Thai
I share the view of "oldexpat" and "Travellor"
The food tastes too Chinese and excessively expensive. Also, the Guangzhou Banana Leaf served much better tasting food. Why do we in the north have to accept watered down food and inferior service?
- 188 views
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Banana Leaf ,Chinese like Thai
I was invited to some branch in Beijing ,Banana Leaf in Beijing.
In Guangzhou I had a terrific dinner few months ago at Banana Leaf, live music and great seafood there.
It was against this expectations.The food was poor almost like chinese. We had ordered Prawn curry ,green chicken curry and papaya and beef salad.Nothing was Thai ,all tasted like the chinese food.
- 205 views
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New Exterior (in Solana), but Same Shenanigens
Brand, spanking new, just opened. But a well-known chain serving up Thai cuisine and a whole lot of live entertainment. Lovely interior, two stories with big private rooms and and lounge bar by the entrance. Reasonably priced, so I’d recommend going in a big group who can appreciate some “man-love”.
Best Part:
* It’s located right beside All-Star Sports Bar & Grill
* Low Prices
* Amusing, animated entertainment
Comments:
* This outlet in Solana is much nicer than others as it just opened. However, there is MUCH better Thai food elsewhere (Lantung Thai Bar & Bistro, Very Siam, Purple Haze) and I’d only go to Banana Leaf if you were looking for an entertaining dining experience for a big group. Otherwise, it’s just cheesy with poor to mediocre food and service.
Brought to you by LumDimSum :)
For more reviews on Beijing's Nightlife & Foodie Scene: www.lumdimsum.com
- 249 views
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Not authentic- chinese styled thai food and expensive
The prawn curry the green coconut chicken curry ,or the papaya salad ,nothing was near the original ones .
Prices too are on the higher side.
- 247 views
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