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Poodam's
Rating Details »
- Nearest Transit:
-
46th St (G, R, V)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
17 reviews for Poodam's
I live right up the street from Poodam's, so this is my local neighborhood Thai place as it were.
We order from here perhaps once a week. I particularly like the massaman curry and especially the jungle curry (if you have the constitution for that sort of thing).
The staff is extremely friendly and delivery is prompt and food is always hot and fresh. If you wish to dine there, the decor is pleasant and appropriate, and the bar is fully stocked. Great place for a nightcap!
I must say though, I am a bit critical of their tom yum soup, it seems as if they cook the bell peppers in with the broth, and while very tasty, they come out soggy and overcooked. If they were to leave the peppers crispy it would be a perfect soup.
I would recommend plenty of other things from the menu, but the tom yum is not one of them. It's a minor point really and don't let it discourage you from going to Poodam's unless this is what you're going there for specifically.
I went here once for my lunch break. What a mistake! The employees are all very nice, so no complaints about the service, but the pad thai I ordered was THE WORST by far I've ever had. And I thought pad thai was always the safest thing to get at Thai restaurants... That theory was blown out of the water at Poodam's.
The noodles were overly chewy, for some reason there was maybe an inch of runny broth/sauce in the plate, which I've never ever seen before in the last dozen and dozen times I've had pad thai in the last several years, and the flavors were just all wrong. I requested some hot sauce to go with it, but that could only do so much to save a lost dish. I couldn't even stomach half of it.
I'm Asian, not Thai, but Asian, and I'm sorry to say it, but my food was just BAD.
Only been there once, but three words. Crab Fried Rice.
As good as can be expected for a Thai restaurant. Excellent food. Nice staff, but the difference here is the amount of space - there's a lot. Another great restaurant in the heart of Astoria. Queens does not relent!
Definite 5-star potential, but I haven't been here as much as can justify it. eh, fuck it. see above.
I really enjoy this Thai / Issan restaurant . For some reason it does not seem to get a fair shake from reviewers. Personally I prefer the food to most other Thai Restaurants in Queens, even the highly rated one in Woodside.
The staff are exceptionally friendly and attentive. The food is really good. My personal favorite is the Basil Duck. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy. The menu contains the standard dishes you seem to find in all these Thai restaurants in Queens with some Issan specials added.
If someone asked me for my favorite local Thai restaurant I would place Poodams this first, followed by Saab in Jackson Heights then Sripraphai in Woodside ( only because of the outdoor seating. Chow Thai in Elmhurst is also good.
Living three (3) blocks away from Poodam is one of the reasons, I'm a fan. It's a sure bet for those nights when we don't want to cook. The other most important reason is the Duck Panang. It is not on the menu but I request it every time we eat there. The duck is crispy and the panang sauce is heavenly.
Oops, we went back to Poodam on January 23 and now, they already have the duck panang on the menu. It is good!!
Allow me to lay it right out there:This is the best Thai restaurant I have been to in New York by far.
It was recommended to me by a friend who lived in Thailand as being "very authentic". I have never lived in Thailand, so I can't speak to the validity of that statement, but I can say it is damn good food.
Both the Tom Yum and Tom Kha were bowls of spicy brothy heaven. We got veggie spring rolls (yum) and fish dumplings (also yum) to start. My pad kee mao was incredibly spicy; just the way I like it. The crab fried rice contained lots of large chunks of real crab meat. The yentafo (an Esan special seafood & noodle soup) was perfectly balanced and very tasty.
Since they specialize in Esan-style cuisine, there are a lot of dishes on the menu that you normally don't see in typical Thai restaurants-- I liked the variety. Also, they got major points for bringing condiments to the table (sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and chilis).. that's something I've yet to see any other Thai restaurant do here.
The service was a bit awkward, but still friendly. Will definitely be back. Many times.
One of my favorite Thai places in Astoria, if only they delivered to my new location :-( I use to eat here quite a bit, the staff is extremely friendly and the restaurant has a very nice cafe like feel to it.
The massaman curry here is probably my favorite, but the staple dishes like the pad thai and pad see eew are also great. They will cater to making your dishes extra spicy if you are in the mood to make your forehead sweat.
I have liked every dish I ordered here. However, it's only two dishes, I order the same things over and over. Yes I'm one of THOSE.
Anyway, my main dish is the yellow curry which I eat in almost every thai restaurant I go to and Poodhams version is Spicy...I do have a weenie mouth but seriously it's rough for me. My boyfriend orders the jungle curry and has no issue breathing and supposedly that is their hottest, however it is way too hot for me to enjoy. Spice aside there food is good.
I knocked it down two stars for decor and a strange smell I had wafting off my menu once. It smelled as though it had been wiped down with a nasty bleach rag. I advise take out.
I love asian food. I've been to Poodam's twice because one bad experience could be a poor experience. All of my food was chewy, the rolls, the rice the noodle. A fishey after taste to something that isn't supposed to contain fish. I've had much better at places where you wouldnt expect it "rural Virginia." I'm not going to say not to go, because maybe it's just me.
I've always been somewhat insulted by Thai waiter's constant assertions that I should not order the food "Spicy". I'm a man, I can take the heat. It was only when I ordered the "Spicy" Larb at Poodam's when I realized why I was so often questioned.
This stuff is HOT!
Really hot, inexplicably hot. Nose running, mouth numbing, head pounding hot. But, you know what, It's reeeeaaalllly addictive, and, once you get past the mind numbing heat of it all, very delicious.
There are, of course, non-spicy items on the menu. Their Tom Ka is the best I've ever had, and their Satay is amazing (and different from others that I've had).
This place is definitely not an over-americanized hipster Thai spot, Poodam's is here for those of us who want to try to handle what it's like to eat in Thailand... Can you take the heat?
For certain dishes, this is one of the better Thai places in the city. The duck basil would be one of those dishes. According to my girlfriend, the Larb (sp?) would be another.
I usually get the Pad Thai, Pad See-Ew, or the green curry depending upon what I'm in the good for. The food is very decent and good. Excellent for when you're tired and don't feel like cooking and just want something quick. If you live around the area, definitely come here for those days when you just can't be bothered to cook and you're in the area. Don't go out of your way to come here.
Whenever I am in the mood for Thai, I go to Poodams (granted, I have yet to try the others in Astoria). They produce quality food quickly and deliver to my home with no complaints.
I ordered take out from this place and was not happy with my meal. The fried rice with sausage was bland and had almost nothing in it, besides a bit of egg, onion and sausage which i did not enjoy. It was $8 for maybe $5 worth of food. The sticky rice was chewy! Clearly they thru it in the microwave for to long. Not impressed. I ordered the pig leg tom yam for my main dish. The broth itself was very spicy, nose running eye watering spice. Very good flavors in the broth, but besides the soup it was bad. The pig leg was all bones and fat. I did get a few small bites of meat, but for $11 i expected alot more substance. I wont be ordering from this place again.
by far my most favorite thai place. i have been to so many thai places in NYC and this beats out all of them...except for the one in jackson heights/woodside (i forgot the name) Anyway, even though the "spicy" food is SOOOO spicy (seriously burning tongue, runny nose), i still love it! But now i get it mild so that i dont get a burning sensation lol. I go here atleast once a week because i always crave their larb chicken its SOOOO good!
This place was very solid.....I didnt love every dish I ordered but the Duck Basil was so yummy. Instead of the typical duck breast, it came with a couple fried duck legs, some breast and some thigh(i believe). Either way I could eat a bucket of those duck legs with the sweet and crispy outside. Also of note were the spicy clams. The clams, perhaps, could have been meatier, but my friend and I were pouring the sauce from the clams onto our rice. Needless to say the dish was wiped clean. The other two dishes I didnt love, though they were ok. We had some pork sausage salad, which was not what I expected at all but nonetheless packed a kick and was eaten in its entirety. We also had the ground duck larb, which had way too much cilantro for me but was really spicy and was fully consumed by my friend. Still, I suspect there are some more really juicy, or should I say spicy nuggets on the menu. Not running back, but I enjoyed the meal and am craving duck leg as I write.....................
