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Montien Thai - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
90 3rd Ave(between 12th St & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village
(212) 475-6814
- Nearest Transit:
-
3 Av (L)
14 St - Union Sq (4, 5, 6, 6X)
Astor Pl (4, 6, 6X)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Elle S. said: "Amazing thai food. I came here twice with my boyfriend and we always order a different dish, so we can have a little taste of what each of us ordered. The first time we came here I had ginger chicken and my boyfriend had pad thai.…" read more »
33 reviews for Montien Thai
Review Highlights
"I like their pineapple fried rice and Gai Yang (bbq..."
(in 7 reviews)
"pad thai is still really good."
(in 14 reviews)
"followed by Red Curry (oh so spicy."
(in 3 reviews)
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33 reviews in English
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Review from pat h.
Manhattan, NY
8/14/2011
Best Thai in the Village!!! When will it open back up again!!????!!!!!
PLEASE OPEN BACK UP!!!!!! -
Review from Erick G.
Atlantic Highlands, NJ
7/7/2011
Sadly this place is closed for good it seems :(. Shame the Thai sausages an the Lard nah was delicious... Can't find anyone else in the area as good.
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Review from Alex i.
NY
2/20/2008
Damn, talk about value meal. I dropped a paltry twelve bucks on an unknown number of ducks and what the fuck! I was happier than a teenager at the playboy mansion. Scratch that: than me at the playboy mansion. Montien is usually pretty empty which baffled me at first, until I realized the deal: its smack dab in the middle of NYU, which means that the price is just out of range of your average coed. That also means the Montien's days are numbered as more and more dorms are built.
That's a low down crying shame because this joint should be a protected landmark. Cute Thai waitresses serve up authentic Thai cuisine in heaping quantities. I had the Duck Kaeng something or other on a cold, rainy night and had to remove clothing because of its fatty, filling goodness. Good food is like crawling back into bed and Montien tucks you in just right. The pad thai was pretty standard but still made with just the right amount of spice and flare.
Also, the people sitting next to us ordered something that required dripping streams of fire to be poured all over their plates right in front of us. I'm going back to Montien before its too late.Listed in: I Date Therefore I Am
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Review from Scott R.
1/15/2008
One of many Thai options in the EV/Union Square area, Montien feels like the staid parents of the trendier Spice, Cafetasia, and Klong. Even Queens import Zabb City (my favorite of those mentioned) feels like at least like a cool aunt or uncle compared to Montien.
Does this make Montien any worse? I suppose not. But it sure doesn't spur one to return.
The lunch specials have several things going for them - affordable ($6.50 or $7.50 w/ soup or salad), big portions, more noodle options than the other spots.
I've had the Pork Pad Kee-mow - the pork was solid, the noodles more of a chore. I've been here one other time and might've ordered the same thing which doesn't speak well for the place since I've got a killer memory for that sort of thing and never order the same thing twice on purpose.
Note: I do recall really liking the chicken soup that came with the special.
Not a bad choice but I'd recommend going up a block or so to Zabb City on 13th b/w 2nd and 3rd.Listed in: East Village / Greenwich…, Thai One On...
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Review from Fahd S.
NY
2/22/2007
This place is one of the best Thai places around Union Sqr. I can't believe it hasn't been reviewed!
The food is Great! The bar is fun and friendly. Johnny is the bartender and draws quit a crowd and really hooks up the regulars. I have been going there semi-regularly to hang with the 'Thrusday' crowd. For some reason or another there seems to be Cake (free and shared) there quite often.
I recommend Singha beer with the Curry Puff pastry app. followed by Red Curry (oh so spicy!) or the Beef Pad Kartiem. The fried rice in the pineapple is also another very popular dish there. and then some more Singha beer and be good to Johnny. -
Review from Laura D.
New York, NY
2/18/2010
Montien Thai Cuisine is unusual in lots of newer, trendier LES venues. It's got a homey vibe, nice setting, simple decor, but I think it's the friendly ambiance that gets this place an A+.
Service is good, and special props go to the bartender Johnny who keeps the place running.
I'm a vegetarian, and I have often asked the kitchen to whip up vegetarian versions of things on the menu, which they do fantastically. I know everyone is excited about the Pineapple Fried Rice, which comes in a pineapple, but my favorite is actually the Pad Keang, which is a ginger/garlic sauce and is sweet, savory and spicy.
I love taking out of town guests here, not only because I know they'll love the food, but because of that friendly atmosphere. You don't feel like you're being hustled out, nor do you feel that your extended presence is unwelcome. We can sit and talk and laugh and continue to drink and eat unmolested, which is what draws many of the Montien regulars that other reviewers have mentioned.
Overall, a great New York restaurant. A surprise for people who don't know it's there, and a gem to us regulars who keep coming back. -
Review from Andrea S.
Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, NY
2/26/2009
I stumbled upon this gem of a place many years ago when I was a sorry Baruch freshman (when the campus was on 18th Street). It was my first Thai food experience and I must say, ever since then, I've recommended many couples to go there to enjoy a great, cheap, relaxing, satisfying meal.
The thing that I absolutely love about this place, other then the fact that my water glass gets refilled before it even hits the middle mark, is the care they put into the plating of their dishes. If you really want to have a grand presentation, get the Pineapple fried rice! It's superb, not only looks wise, but taste wise as well! They don't skip out on the shrimp, they're huge! The Pad Thai and the Pad Sew dishes are absolutely superb as well and I would say, they actually serve one of my favorite renditions of the Pad Thai here.
Also, do not skip out on the appetizer combo for two, which is actually great for even 4 people! It comes with crab dumplings (yum), vegetable dumplings (yum x2), chicken & beef satay, some round spicy vegetable thing (yummmmmy) and some puffy tofu looking thing that is delicious with the sauces you dip them in. -
Review from Megan B.
New York, NY
1/8/2011
I got the Panaeng Curry with white rice here, it was pretty darn good, although I think I've probably had better elsewhere. The worker behind the bar was very nice and gave me some water while I waited for my to-go order to be done. I definitely plan to try their other dishes as well. I'd say the atmosphere was cute and cozy. A nice place to go for a date.
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Review from Deborah H.
New York, NY
11/30/2007
Sports bars with no kitchen = people running around frantically looking for food during football breaks. We stumbled into Montien for to-go thinking it would be quick and cheap.
$9.00 for noodles? Unspeakable! My dish (pad woon-sen) was completely flavorless, even though I asked them to make it spicy. The chicken in the dish was tough and bland and blah. My friend's pad kee-mao was better, but still $9.00, and not even close to the yumminess at Won Dee Siam or Pam Real Thai.
And at the end of wolfing down our meal in the sports bar, I was left with a craving for fries and burgers.
Hmm. I'm used to Thai food in Hell's Kitchen, which is generally very tasty, very inexpensive, and very satisfying. But if you're in this area, skip Montien and head up a few blocks for Bangkok Cafe on 20th and Park. -
Review from Tim L.
3/29/2009
When I went here the food was at best just mediocre. The service was nice and friendly, but often times that isn't enough especially when you're left expecting more from the food.
Presentation of the food and the general atmosphere of this place was great. Unfortunately the experience I had here was ruined by all the little SATC wannabes dining here. I'm not sure if this was a coincidence or perhaps this restaurant was in the show at one point, who knows.
It's one of those places where you might drop in if you're in the neighborhood, but certainly isn't some place I would purposely go to. -
Review from Scotty J.
3/11/2010
Thinking about this place makes me hungry. There's nothing quite like a small, perfectly-lit Thai restaurant in the heart of the East Village, serving generous portions of mouth-watering, deliciously spiced cuisine.
Pad Thai is not just Pad Thai; here's it's more like a symphony between the noodles, meat, and sauce. And their Pineapple Fried Rice comes in an actual pineapple. How cool is that? I almost thought I was dreaming, but then I went back and saw it again.
There's a lot of variety in NYC when it comes to Thai, with places on either side of the spectrum. Montien definitely ranks highly on the side of awesome. Check it out! -
Review from Stella Y.
3/18/2008
In all fairness I have to preface this review by saying that my experience dining here is somewhat limited to carb-dishes and not the more traditional non-noodle/rice entrees (which may be excellent, who knows).
Thai is one of my favorite genres of food and this place definitely does not do some of the classics well at all. It's sad because the location is prime! I've had their Thai fried rice dishes and their pad kee mao which was disappointing to say the least. The biggest complaint is that the food lacked FLAVOR, which is key to Thai cooking. -
Review from Roni S.
Brooklyn, NY
9/29/2008
I had to edit this review because I feel that the service I was critical about before has changed significantly. Now when I come in, the waitstaff is much more friendly and cheerful. The food remains the same, great thai food at reasonable prices. Also, for the lunch special, they have added tea and an ice cream dessert free of charge.
If you live or work in the vicinity of Union Square, I highly recommend Montien if you have a strong craving for Thai food. -
Review from Daniel S.
New York, NY
5/27/2009
This place is the worst.
I come here with a friend, not particularly bent on eating here, but i mistook Blue 9 burger with another burger place, and just found out my bud was vegetarian. So Thai it is.
This place was ridiculously loud. There is a full bar of loud mouths posturing about, and a train wreck of a date happening behind me. Some drunk old weirdo doing lit up yo-yo tricks... badly! I kid you not.
The service was prompt, so that was good. I ordered some sort of chicken dish. It was basically a cut up drum stick and a cut up chicken wing. Hungrily I had to gnarl my way through the bone and cartilage like a dog after thanksgiving being left some scraps. I left there hungry. Not cool.
The wost part is I couldn't have a conversation there with how loud it was. -
Review from Jennifer Z.
New York, NY
5/20/2010
I'll give it five stars, but let me start by saying I only had delivery and I ordered only two dishes. But they were INSANELY delicious! I actually randomly found this place through this site because I was trying to remember the name of the place where I used to get this scrumptious lobster fried rice. So I googled "Lobster Fried Rice, 3rd Ave, New York". Well the name of the place that I was looking for closed (Chino's) and after that listing was a Yelp review for Montien. All the reviews were great so I figured "Why Not". A craving is a craving after all.
I had them add cashews and had no idea what I was going to get. They arrived with a huge heavy bag and I thought to myself "Did they get my order wrong". Nope. The lobster fried rice came with A WHOLE lobster (for the price, it better had ;)) and it filled two whole containers. It was amazing! Just a slight touch of curry and cilantro. Delicious.
The other dish I got were the Thai dumplings. They were basically like Chinese har gow. Quite tasty as well.
I can't speak much for the decor or dining-in service but the food I had was so great, it will definitely spur an on-site visit. -
Review from Patty C.
New York, NY
12/6/2010
Casual, affordable and delicious!
This places does everything right! It is the perfect casual express lunch or casual early dinner.
The two women working the front of the house work in perfect tandem and have the whole room covered efficiently!
I had the lunch special and chose chicken rice soup, pad see ew with chicken - both were excellent, fresh and tasty.
I am a spicy food fan - and requested the chili paste. The chili carosel arrived with 3 kinds of chili pastes as well as pickled chilis - all delicious!
I will definitely eat here again and come friends pre or post movies! -
Review from Romana claretta H.
Long Island City, NY
6/9/2011
really delicious thai food. the drinks are good as well. prices are excellent and portions are big.
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Review from Lisa Q.
8/11/2008
This review is judging soley their lunch menu, 7 dollars for soup or salad and an entree. It's pretty impressive that it's quite expansive! However--- everything tasted suspiciously unfresh like leftovers. One is better off walking a little east to Zabb City for their fresh, more authenic lunch special of a (slightly) lower price.
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Review from NYC A.
New York, NY
11/2/2010
I like their pineapple fried rice and Gai Yang (bbq) chicken. The curry puffs were pretty good too.
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Review from Daniel F.
New York, NY
3/31/2010
When my girlfriend (now wife) was living in the area for school, I loved going to this place often. It offers excellent representation of almost all Thai specialties. Many people will rave about the Pineapple Fried Rice (served inside its namesake), though my benchmark dishes of Pad Thai and my favorite there, the Pad See Ew, are really nice as well. Curry puffs or an assorted app are good choices for a group. Cocktails there are well-paired with the cuisine, though the wine selection is ok too. They can also accommodate your palette for your spice preference as well. The ambiance is extremely comfortable, and they often open up the front in the summer time, when it's nice to have an evening breeze cool down you and your party.
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Review from Ayten C.
Maspeth, NY
10/31/2008
It's a clean, decent place with good food. However, expect to wait. I have never had fast service here. They don't open until 12 noon and then it seems like they have to warm their engines or something. I work nearby and I love Thai food, but many times I opt out because I know how slow they are and I just don't have the time. That said, I never had a bad meal, they have a very good business so I can't imagine anything being stale or left over. I don't know what Jared was talking about, this place is not gross. Slow service, but not gross.
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Review from Justin R.
Brooklyn, NY
11/11/2007
I have learned that in New York, Thai restaurants are plentiful and, from my experience, tasty. The question is how do you decide which restaurant to sample? I would suggest that you don't even think about it and go to the first place you see (unless it's extremely trendy and 40+ minute wait crowded i.e. Spice and Joya). With so many choices, it is hard to choose the best or perfect Thai. My wife and I were in the neighborhood and randomly selected Spice on a whim. Sadly, the entrance way was filled with NYUers awaiting Thai chilis and the trendiest of basil sprigs. Never wait for Thai. Move on.
So, we ended up at Montien Thai Cuisine. Upon, entering, I was a bit (only a tiny bit) worried about the look of the interior. The place looks a little worn out. Montien could use some new decorations or maybe a few fresh plants.
Worry not though, because the food is amazing. I ordered the Pad Sea-Ew, which is a broad rice noodle with chinese broccoli. This dish was the best, and a cost a mere 12 bones. It was a terrific example of quality and flavorful Thai. My wife ordered the Kaeng Hung-Ray, which is a standard red curry. The Hung-ray is also amazing but keep in mind that Thai chilis are present and accounted for.
If you are hovering around Union Square stop into the un-trendy domain of the mysterious Montien. What is Montien? Not sure, could be a modern artist. Perhaps it is better not to know..... -
Review from Ron C.
8/6/2009
This place is not bad. They are open late nights and till the wee hours of the morning. Drink specials are 2/$5 Beers. The bartender/manager is really friendly and makes you feel comfortable. Food was good as well. If your looking for a spot to grab a quick drink before heading out into the night. This would be the spot.
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Review from Jennifer S.
New York, NY
Updated - 11/18/2009
I would like to update my review because I truthfully LOVE their Larb Gai and Pineapple Fried Rice so much that I continually find myself ordering take-out. Plus, I have now tried a handful of other places to compare the quality of their Larb Gai and Pinapple Fried Rice, and no one seems to do it better. In fact, I am willing to say that their Pineapple Fried Rice is the best in the city!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/2/2009
Things to order when heading to Montien:
(1) Pineapple Fried Rice- not only served in a giant… Read more »
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Review from Hannah L.
12/1/2009
this is actually the first place i ever had pad thai in my life, after living at the parsons dorm on e12th and 3rd years ago. i came back here yesterday for the first time since. pad thai is still really good. not super fancy, but good prices, yummy thai iced tea and good service.
memmmmories! -
Review from Jared R.
San Francisco, CA
10/12/2008
I'd sooner poison my own food than eat here. I won't bother because Montien Thai did that for me.
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Review from Clara A.
New York, NY
12/18/2009
The food was okay, not the best. Galanga is my favorite for anything Thai. But Montien's service, atmosphere, and presentation was better than most. My friend ate out of a pinneaplpe to me that says it enough.
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Review from Tino G.
Bellmore, NY
10/9/2008
Good food, good service. And always easy to find a parking spot outside at lunch time.
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Review from Teresa E.
New York, NY
2/7/2010
I happened upon Montien when I was on my way to Classic Stage Company on 13th Street for an opening. I needed to eat quickly before seeing the show, and there weren't too many options. I must say that the food was surprisingly good. I especially recommend the tofu satay appetizer: big hunks of fresh grilled tofu. And also the curries. I had the vegetable one, and it was tasty and exactly the right level of heat for me. Though it should be noted that I tend to like spice. The room was fairly empty, but then again, it was a Tuesday.
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Review from Sandra A.
New York, NY
2/28/2010
I'm surprised by the lackluster reviews. The prices do seem a bit high, but the two times I've ordered delivery were quite delicious. I'm partial to the crab dumplings and the green curry - Kaeng Kiew-Wan. Having spent a month in Thailand, this is the closest we've encountered in the neighborhood to what we enjoyed. The food isn't as greasy as other Thai spots. The Pad Kee-Mao is acceptable, but not the best dish. I do recommend Montien although I think the food is a bit overpriced.
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Review from Christian C.
New York, NY
2/17/2010
Not the best Thai food around. My advice, skip it and on to the next one. I found a hair in my food and when I told the waitress she asked if I wanted a new one. Duhh!! Food was forgettable and gave me and my girl stomach pains. We didn't even get our change back from the check. We just left.
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Review from Leah G.
Dunellen, NJ
1/9/2011
A little on the expensive side for what it is - especially the booze. On the other hand, the food is fabulous. Give the grilled tofu and peanut sauce a chance! Our table had red curry vegetables, pad thai, and egg noodles with beef. All winners. Allow enought time to eat there as the servers let you wine and dine.
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Review from Nick O.
Manhattan, NY
1/20/2011
Closed by Health Dept
