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Thai Chai-Yo
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
233 9th Ave(between 24th St & 25th St)
New York, NY 10001
Neighborhood: Chelsea
(212) 488-2170
- Nearest Transit:
-
23 St (A, C, E)
23 St (1, 2)
28 St (1, 2)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
79 reviews for Thai Chai-Yo
Review Highlights
"Their lunch special is fabulous."
(in 20 reviews)
"The drunken noodles were really really good."
(in 15 reviews)
"I highly recommend the spicy basil dish, it is excellent."
(in 4 reviews)
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79 reviews in English
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Review from Xian Shane H.
Royal Oak, MI
2/2/2012
good thai food and great value!! for 7.99, you can get the lunch special with an entree, a fountain drink, and a side of salad with your choice of appetizer. it's really a poor man's feast at lunch.
I got the chicken pad thai with a side salad and curry fried dumplings. The curry fried dumplings sounded more interesting than it actually was. But still worth the try. The salad was just your regular house salad with the asian sesame sauce, which was sweet and delyyysh. The chicken pad thai was great, although a little bit salty for me.
But still, for the value and the pinkberry-esque atmosphere it's worth it.Listed in: My Asianness, Fav Food
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Review from Althea A.
Updated - 11/18/2011
I've ordered delivery from Chai-yo a couple more times since my last review. I figured if I spent the amount of time I did scrolling through restaurants on allmenus, and then ended up saying, "Yeah, Chai-Yo is good, I think I'll go with them again," they deserve their upgrade to 4 stars.
I've ordered the chicken Penang curry again (yay pineapples), and also tried the chicken Rama, which has a nice, rich peanut sauce.
Tasty stuff, and reliably good. I've become a fan!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/7/2011
I've only had the delivery; haven't been into the restaurant.
While not completely exceptional, the… Read more »
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Review from d c.
Manhattan, NY
10/3/2011
Pretty nice glass decour. Interesting layout, subdivided with a dry cleaner next door. You can see the drycleaner office from gaps between the wall next to the bathroom. Really cool bathroom in the back.
$7.95 lunch special. with fountain soda, appetizer and big salad with peanut sauce dressing.
Appetizer, spring roll was generic filled with shredded cabbage/carrot in duck sauce. Curry ball filled with curry chicken bits was tasty.
Had pad thai, and basil tofu. Seemed to be based in generic take-out brown sauce. Minus the brown sauce, it was tasty. -
Review from Jordan M.
Westlake Village, CA
I absolutely loved this place! I stumbled upon it with some friends as we were trying to find somewhere good to eat in the poring rain. They have a $7.25 lunch special that comes with an appetizer, salad, drink, white or brown rice, and an entree of your choice. My waiter was so friendly and I can't wait to go back again!
I would recommend:
1. Spicy Basil Chicken (lunch special): It was flavorful, hot, and perfect for a rainy day. They chicken was tender and all of the vegetables were perfectly crisp. I asked for some hot sauce and they brought me a huge tray of many different types of sauces and chilies. It was great. The salad was yummy and fresh. I also got to choose an appetizer, so I went with the curry puffs. They were full of flavor and the crust was flakey and delicious. -
Review from Joan R.
8/23/2011
Unfortunately, I missed the much lauded lunch special, which is apparently $7.95 for an appetizer, salad/soup, entree, and drink. While the space inside is nice but small, the service excellent, my food was very disappointing.
Ambiance: A-
Long and narrow, the small restaurant is cozy and intimate. Simply but nicely decorated, its a pleasant setting for my friend and I to converse and dine in. There are plenty of dark wooded tables and chairs to sit in and the white cool-textured bar is pretty interesting to look at.
Service:A+
The service was excellent. The servers were very friendly and attentive.
I drink A LOT of water (once the waiter gave up refilling my glass and just gave me the entire pitcher, true story) and they refilled my glass constantly. My glass was always half full, just the way I like it.
Honestly, I would have given this place 2 stars if it wasn't for the courteous and kind servers that made me feel welcomed and at ease.
Food: B-
SPRING ROLL 3.95 (Fried vegetarian rolls served with sweet chili sauce)
Fresh, crunchy,and not too oily or greasy. It was yummy and one of the better spring rolls I've had.
GRILLED PORK CHOP (Lemongrass Pork) 9.95 (Marinated with lemongrass; served w. papaya salad & sticky rice)
So very disappointing. I've had amazing Thai Pork Chop in the Lemongrass restaurant that was formerly in Park Slop and Sea in Williamsburg. Those pork chops were tender, juicy, and freaking incredible.
The pork chop from Thai Chai-Yo made me sad. While the lemongrass marinade was delicious and it gave the pork chop a nice flavor along with the smoky char from the grill, the meat was overly chewy and hard to cut. The table rattled and the plate squeaked as I attempted to cut into the meat. My jaw hurts just from thinking about how chewy the meat was.
The sticky rice came in a cute bamboo container but that was the only good thing about it. It was hard and overly sticky. If I was a 5 year old kid I would have lost my baby tooth biting into it.
The papaya salad was delicious, tangy and sour, great flavors with a crunchy texture that added complexity when eaten together with the pork chop and rice.
My friend ordered the RAMA DISH
(Sautéed special house peanut sauce; served on a bed of
steamed vegetables)
She said it was really good and recommended it. I should have ordered that dish.
Overall, I would come again for the super cheap lunch special to try their other dishes. -
Review from Taiyo O.
8/25/2011 2 photos
Although offering no heat and garlic flavors of this Lunch special for $7.95 comes with appetizer, main and drink. It's definitely a great deal even in Chinatown.
I got exactly what Joan R. got from Lunch Special and she described very much what I had experienced.
Generous portion of grilled pork chop was fine but I've never seen the inside cooked pork to be grey and I was very skeptical to put the grey meat in my mouth.......but it was okay and flavorful. The watery and light sauce with a hint of heat from fine powder red chili (Cayenne?) and sweetness worked with the bite size sliced pork. I wish there was some charred grilled mark on would made this pork taste much better Ample side dish, Green Papaya, was good enough to satisfying my craving for papaya salad. This place is one of few restaurants, including Pinto, offers Papaya Salad as a side from lunch specials.
Only negative was that we were served by this waiter having a lack of knowledge of what is to be in a service business was not pleasant to deal with but another waiter (guy) waiter was very nice. When I wanted something, I waved him instead. -
Review from Stephen H.
Manhattan, NY
8/25/2011
Lunch specials can't be beat, especially the Duck Broth. Amazing! People who work there are also as nice as can be.
Win! -
Review from Young Bin K.
Los Angeles, CA
9/16/2011
I have been here couple of times and i was a fan of their drunken noodle with chicken.
But i went to lastnight and i was so disanppointed with their mixed seafood pad thai.
It's more expensive than with chicken or shirmp.
Noodle and sauce combination was ok but seafood was terribly not fresh.
I had one bite of shirmp and i thought something wrong. and i had a bite of other shirmp it was also same.
and i had small piece of scallop it had terrible fish smell. and mussle too.
Every piece of seafood has gone bad!
It was terrible experience for me....
Maybe i am not gona go any more or try again their drunken noodle with chicken for lunch someday. -
Review from Rebecca D.
Manhattan, NY
8/23/2011
I've been to Thai Chai-Yo a couple of times for dinner, which means it's pretty decent, especially in comparison to the other Thai restaurants in the area.
The waitstaff is very friendly and attentive, but the food is just alright. We've ordered the chicken shumai, basil fried rice with tofu, rama chicken, green curry with chicken, and a few other dishes that I can't remember. So far most or all of them have tasted fine, but aren't incredibly memorable.
I think I would recommend the lunch special given the prices, and I would recommend that you go for dinner if you're in the area and want Thai food, but I wouldn't recommend making a special trip. -
Review from Priti K.
Piscataway, NJ
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
A few friends and I came here after a long day of not having eaten properly and I was really looking forward to having some taste bud-exploding Thai. It was quite a disappointment. I got the pineapple chicken with brown rice and it just seemed very bland to me. Maybe I should have opted for pad thai; I was trying to be semi-healthy. In any case, I've had way more flavorful pineapple chicken. The sweetness was there, but there was something missing from the dish.
My friend got a vegetarian string bean dish (the name slips my mind) but I tried some and it had way too much ginger in it. The ginger overpowered all the other flavors. The atmosphere here is simple. They do serve alcoholic beverages and the service is very good.
I asked if they could charge my phone behind the counter and they let me without any issue. I'd only recommend this place if you just need to eat quickly and be on your way. I wouldn't come here again otherwise. -
Review from Nina B.
4/1/2011
Amidst all the competition of NYC, this place has a great lunch special. The service was very friendly, and it was pretty empty towards the end of weekday lunch hour.
The food was good, nothing amazing or special, but solid Thai food. Definitely worth swinging by if you're in the neighborhood, and are craving some pad thai. -
Review from Kaman P.
Manhattan, NY
7/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Their lunch special is fabulous! For $7.95 you get:
- An appetizer
- Salad or soup
- Entree
- Fountain drink
My colleagues and I have had numerous lunches here and always seem to find our way back to this little gem.
Check out my food blog for more detailed reviews and photos: http://takes2gluttons.... -
Review from Richard D.
New York, NY
4/16/2011
I came here and this place was dead, but the service was awesome.
They were lacking in mixed drink ingredients, but you can't blame them since it didn't seem like there were too many customers in the place even though they have awesome happy hour specials.
The place is misleading. Even though the area seems like a wasteland, the interior of the restaurant is pretty nice.
I think they're a solid choice for Thai food and drinks. -
Review from Sarah J.
Manhattan, NY
6/28/2011
I got takeout for my boyfriend and I last night and it was amazing! I live uptown and when I got home our food was still hot! The chicken pad thai was so flavorful and the noodles were cooked just right. The drunken noodles with shrimp were excellent. We got it extra spicy and the vegetables were sauteed but still crisp. We also got the massamun curry (extra spicy as well) and it was good...they even put fresh avocado on top which some places don't do. The service was quick...only took about ten minutes for the food and they gave me a tall glass of ice water while I waited. I definitely recommend this little Chelsea spot for their tasty eats and quick, pleasant service!
Obvi I got takeout but they have that sweet $7.95 lunch special for a salad, app, and entree which it unbeatable.
Lastly...it was just a quick walk from Chelsea Market where I picked up a bottle of Italian rose at Chelsea Wine Vault which complimented the spicy Thai flavors perfectly. -
Review from Katherine L.
Mendham, NJ
3/14/2011
So one of my friends suggested this place when I asked him for a good thai restaurant since there were several within a few blocks of each other. This place seemed okay... it looks like a mini-cafe.
Nothing too outstanding stood out to me except for the sauce on the salad. Unlike most asian cuisines that use a ginger sauce for their salad, they actually differed in having a more tangy, sweet delicious, memorable sauce on their salad. It was unlike any I've ever tasted.
Aside from that, I ordered the dumpling appetizer, which btw, isn't a real dumpling. It is actually shui mai, which kind of disappointed me. For my meal, i had the penang curry chicken, which was pretty good. The sauce isn't too thick and there was plenty of string beans, peppers, and onions which really enhanced the flavor.
It's not a place I would like to come back to since there's such a wide range of good thai food in ny, but if you're looking to stop by for a quick bite, it may interest you :) -
Review from Your M.
New York, NY
6/9/2011
I would normally come into this place for their lunch specials. They would give you a GREAT deal: Salad with peanut sauce, plate of your choice (I normally go for Pork Pad Thai here), with a spring roll. I've ordered Thai Lunch specials from other places but they never give you the full package quite like this.
I'll just say that personally, there are tons of Thai options in Chelsea, but I would think this place is one of the better ones (For example, it beats Rin Thai in front of the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas). Although it can be somewhat inconsistent, the noodles are well prepared and the food can sometimes look beautifully laid out. For 7 bucks, they're practically giving it away for free, so I hugely recommend it for the hungry art student ;) -
Review from Lili K.
3/28/2011
This area is pretty dead, but it's pretty much a gem inside. The venue is alright, but the service was pretty marvelous if I do say so myself. I think the workers were really excited and surprised to see more customers on a Saturday night. With that came excelllent service!
Came here on a double date :P and they gave us some complimentary edamame (I think they overheard one of us say they wanted some). The drinks are all 50% off on weekends, so that meant $4.50 for strawberry mojitos? And they're in freakin' cute glasses?? Oh yeahhhhh.
The food was good, I love the only dish I always get at Thai places-the beef pat see ewe. I was so stuffed I couldn't even wipe out my plate. Nommmmm. -
Review from Amy Z.
Manhattan, NY
7/24/2011
I'm not a great fan of thai food but I thought that the food here was actually pretty good. Good, but not excellent. Their pad thai is the best I've had before and you get a pretty sweet deal when you come in for their lunch special, which runs till 3:30pm. I have to recommend anyone who come here to try their fried ice cream.
If you're looking for a meaty meal, this is not the place. It's mainly rice and noodle.
The service was mediocre. -
Review from adrienne b.
New York, NY
8/15/2011
My favorite Thai takeout. They are so friendly and always pack a surprise (free dumplings, edamame, pickled salad) in your order. I have ordered here and eaten here and have loved it everytime without one negative experience. It's on seamless, but it's faster to just call in your order. Highly suggested for casual, good Thai with a great attitude.
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Review from Craige M.
2/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's a spring-like day in February, so I decided to hop back on the Craige M. Eating and Walking Tour bus. Except that the bus is my feet. Anyway.
My colleague wanted Thai food, so I did a search around 23rd on the west side and this one seemed to be the best option. You really can't beat that lunch special: $7.95 gets you a full-on entree, a fountain soda, a small appetizer and a soup or salad. My coworker and I each got the dumpling app so I can't say how the others are, but the dumplings are really good.
I got King Rama, which I had never heard of. It's a peanut sauce over broccoli plus chicken, beef, pork, tofu or more vegetables. In retrospect, I probably should have gotten mixed veggies, but it seemed weird to get veggies over veggies, so I got tofu. It was really good and filling. I took half of it to go.
My coworker said the green curry was sufficiently spiced, but certainly not highly spiced like promised by our waiter. I guess if you want spicy you have to tell the waiter that you really, really mean it.
In looking over the menu now, I see that I should not have ignored the few pricier lunch options because they sound really yummy: duck broth, char-grilled pork, roast duck. Definitely a reason to go back and even at $9.95, I think the duck would still be a fabulous deal. -
Review from Drew M.
Brooklyn, NY
9/27/2011
Not so much.
Bland pad thai, with a faint to trace of wet dog.
Summer rolls were kind of funky as well. -
Review from Emma W.
Boston, MA
8/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here a few times for after work dinner and it's really tasty. I order the beef pad see ew and it's always fresh (sometimes you can tell the noodles have been reheated in a skillet). Also, until I think 7:30 drinks are all half price. Every time I've been in there after work it's been very quiet which is something I really appreciate in a restaurant.
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Review from Michael D.
SoHo, Manhattan, NY
1/2/2011
I've been going to the openings at the art galleries EVERY thursday since I moved to NYC and some friends and I started a game where we find the best restaurant after we check out the art. We have mostly been trying thai restaurants. And Thai Chai Yo has won as the best thai restaurant from Union Square to the Hudson between Meatpacking to Midtown. We go there about once every 4-6 weeks now. Here is the breakdown of why:
First of all, there are some weak areas for TCY. Mainly their ambiance. It's just kind of weird. Mirrors and glass and strange lighting mixed with Ikea products. If you judge the restaurant by that - it will lose. BUT we have checked out every other thai restaurant in the area with better decor and found those lacked taste, service, and/or price. Decor is important... to an extent.
The #1 reason for TCY: the taste/price/portion/staff combo.
I've brought friends from Germany, NY, LA, France, Columbia, Australia and other countries and everyone says "this is great!" We have gone to other thai restaurants afterwards and everyone agrees - we should have just stayed with TCY. The food is tasty and the portions are perfect sized. Not too much, not too little. You'll eat most of what they serve and not feel stuffed. And the prices match.
The staff is also great. One day they screwed up by bringing me a drink (they saw we ordered it 2 of the past 3 times so they assumed we would want it again so they brought it without asking. We told them we didn't want it this time so they took it away... then came back and said "that's OK - you enjoy it on the house since it is already made."
I'm positive there has to be a better thai restaurant with better food AND better decor somewhere - but TCY will get 5 stars until I find that place! -
Review from Michelle W.
New York, NY
11/7/2010
The drunken noodles were really really good! Probably some of the best thai food i have had to date. Only thing that wasn't too great was the place itself. It isn't exactly a hole in the wall but it isn't a really nice restaurant.
The service was really good, the food just as good, but the decor, not so much. But it shouldn't really matter because the food was good and you aren't eating off the walls. Just don't come here if you're trying to impress someone on a first date. -
Review from Roberto A.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 8/30/2010
Returned for a second time and still all good.
I had the fried calamari appetizer again and it was light and tasty. The chicken satay appetizer was good as well. Yum.
The bathroom door that was broken last time is now fixed and the almost-empty Listerine bottle is gone.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/17/2010
My girlfriend and I were down to our last clean pair of underwear (each, we don't share underwear),… Read more »
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Review from Evangelos G.
Manhattan, NY
3/26/2011
In New York, $7.95 for lunch with appetizer, soda, salad, and an entree.
I'm always treated well and the staff are genuinely polite. Decent little place out on 9th. You do have to ask for the check, but otherwise for $7.95 you can't beat a simple lunch here. There are many Thai places in Chelsea, but if you just want a no-frills lunch it's great! -
Review from Sade O.
Chicago, IL
8/14/2011
We ordered the Drunken Noodles with Chicken, Chicken Satay, Korean Beef, Beef Fried Rice, and Chicken with steam veggies. The flavors were outstanding~!
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Review from Shay S.
Manhattan, NY
7/26/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I'm a fan.
We discovered the place once while looking around for a Thai place for us to eat (through Yelp, of course), and were pleasantly surprised.
This place is a good example of "don't judge a book by its cover." I visited it twice now, and each time the place looks practically abandoned. Perhaps it was the time (between lunch and dinner?), perhaps the weird decor and furniture (plastic chairs in bright colors... really??) , perhaps the location is not so great.. whatever it is, be prepared to be surprised.
Two appetizers: duck rolls (yum!) summer rolls (amazing)
Two entries: drunken noodles with chicken and ginger beef with vegetables, very tasty and good, and a generous size as well.
drinks: two Thai iced teas and two mixed drinks, which were pretty good I have to say.
Everything for less than $50. You do the math, I think that's a pretty good deal.
the bad:
quiet.. TOO quiet at times, makes you think something is wrong. The chairs and tables are plastic and weird looking, it doesn't "feel" or look like a restaurant for a first date or a work-related meeting. Plus there's a weird buzz now and then, but now I'm really stretching it because there's not enough bad stuff..
the good:
They are pretty cheap, affordable for sure. Generous portions, the waiters are friendly (even though a bit weird in my opinion, maybe it's a Thai thing, I heard him saying "this is America... the best country in the world" with a childish Thai accent,) and of course, the food is really good and tasty.
check it out! -
Review from Amber C.
Brooklyn, NY
12/21/2010
One of my go-to lunch spots during the work week. Their lunch special is only $7.95 and you get a huge entree, a salad with awesome Thai peanut dressing, an appetizer, and a soda. I'm boring and always stick with the panang curry, which is perfectly spiced and includes string beans and pineapple (love this addition).
The service is usually pretty quick, but sometimes they bring out the dishes in a weird order--frequently I get my appetizer at the same time as my entree, sometimes after. Since it's so cheap and delicious, though, I don't mind. -
Review from Jen S.
Brooklyn, NY
8/11/2011
Fantastic $7.95 lunch special. Comes with soda, house, salad, appetizer, and entree. I ordered the pad thai, which came in a very large serving and was delicious. Took the leftovers home and it was enough for another meal. Nuked it and it was still good. Service was also very good and friendly. The place itself was also very clean and nicely set up.
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Review from Katrina E.
Long Island City, NY
7/23/2011
The lunch special is a really good deal in an area of Chelsea where a delivery lunch under $10 is difficult to come by. However, the food is just standard. While it can satisfy a noodle craving, it wouldn't be a place I would go to for a meal out. I've had both curries and noodle dishes from here that are good, but nothing I would really describe as excellent.
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Review from christine a.
New York, NY
10/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's worth a try if you are in the nabe. Had basil tofu lunch special. It was pretty good but they could try harder. Flavor was not as riveting as the best thai (Pam Thai by the way).
Vegetables were very fresh, which was a definite plus. I have to try the noodles to get a full sense of this place. -
Review from Lia B.
Manhattan, NY
11/3/2011
Affordable and delicious! I got red curry with tofu and my friends got panang curry with chicken and drunken noodle with chicken and we all loved our dishes. Sooo good!
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Review from Tiffany F.
Manhattan, NY
7/6/2010
After my thai food disaster on Friday, when a coworker suggested that we go to Thailand for lunch, I eagerly said..."when's the next flight?"
Two words: LUNCH COMBO. For $7.95, you will get a very generous portion of whatever entree you choose, a salad, rice, and a spring roll. Spicy basil with vegetables? If you don't order this, if you order this and you don't like it, you should probably see a psychiatrist. Seriously, the spice is so good...my nose is still running even as i sit here writing this review. Delivery was fast and the delivery guy was so friendly and smiley that I wanted to hug him.
Co-worker complaints: No mock-duck in mock duck entree. Pineapple fried rice was bland and not fried enough. -
Review from Linda N.
La Habra, CA
4/7/2010 3 photos
We were driving around New York trying to find somewhere to eat and I had spotted this Thai place, so we decided to give it a try.
We had walked by some other restaurant that looked good, but we decided to stick with the Thai place when we saw a rainbow sticker on their window door (they're gay friendly!)
It looked very nice inside. We were served right away. The service was great here. The best part was that we came during Happy Hour so we scored on some cheap drinks. My cousin Thomson had wine, my bf had a beer, and I decided to try their mixed drink. I don't remember what it was called, but it was blue and had actual lychee fruits in it. At first, it was very tasty, but when i was nearing the end, I could taste the bitter alcohol. I had also ordered a Thai tea, but I did not like it at all. I felt that there was too much tea in it, even with the extra milk I added to it.
The food we ordered came out to order. We had the Beef Salad with no onions, Tom Yum Gai soup with chicken, Pa Se Eww with chicken, and Basil with Chicken. Everything we had was sweet! I was not impressed with this Thai place at all. I was expecting the food to be somewhat spicy, but it was all sweet. The soup was my favorite dish because they had real fresh mushrooms in it, not the straw mushrooms. The portions were decent for the prices.
I personally would not go back to this place just because I like some spiciness in my Thai food, but if you like sweet, this place is for you. -
Review from Scott K.
New York, NY
7/20/2007
**** for the name. Yo, for real. It sounds like Ali G. owns this place.
**** for the decor. Sleek and simple...hyper-modern diner meets retro lounge.
**** for eating to sounds of the 70's and 80's (it's the first time I ever ate Thai food with Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" in the background).
**** for the lunch special salad. It's not your typical assorted leaves with ketchupy ginger dressing. The sauce was light, sweet & spicy...with a big fat delicious veggie dumpling sitting on the side of the plate.
***** for the pad kee mao. As a drunken noodles aficionado, I can safely say this place has tastiest and spiciest pad kee mao on the west side of Manhattan. The garlic chili sauce must have been made by Iron Chef Satan.
***** for the water glass never going under 3/4 full.
I took a long, hard look at the menu. I know exactly what I'll be ordering when I go back there for dinner. -
Review from Janelle M.
Long Island City, NY
4/28/2008
So good.
It's a great place for lunch and dinner. The delivery time is QUICK. It took no more than 15 minutes.
It's a great sit-down place as well. Everything is laid-back. The servers are efficient and the food is fantastic. I couldn't ask for a better Thai spot.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Jill M.
Brooklyn, NY
1/13/2009
The worst meal I've had in a long time. Went for lunch today and had the "Rama" - tofu and broccoli in peanut sauce. I'm chewing gum as we speak, just trying to keep it down.
As another reviewer said, "wow. it's going to take me a couple of days for my body to detox from all the msg and other flavor enhancers this place puts in it's food." I couldn't agree more. MSG probably topped the ingredient list on the vegetarian spring rolls I tried as an "appetizer." Nasty.
The tofu was a fried bulky mess covered in vilely adulterated "sauce" thickened with godknowswhat, on a bed of just-microwaved frozen broccoli. The, cough, salad, is 4 pieces of iceberg lettuce covered in a more saccharine version of glossy peanut sauce.
Service: Upon asking the server what was "in" the dishes, he became quite perplexed as to what I meant by "in." Ok.. "ingredients?"..still nothing..."Like, vegetables, or....?" And that was the extent of the pleasantries.
Also, the decor is nowhere close to sleek and simple - it's tacky as all hell, including plastic chairs and dirty circular mirrors on the ceilings.
I'll stand at half a star....the extra half star because the vacant girl at the counter voiced a meek "Thanks" as I walked out. -
Review from Gene C.
Bronx, NY
10/5/2010
The good: duck roll (almost a Thai take on Peking duck, only with some veggies) and curry puff appetizers were the stars of the show, which would've garnered 4 stars in my book.
The not-so-great: The basil fried rice didn't have the heat I look for in this traditional dish, as well as being under-seasoned in general. The pad thai was actually undercooked, leaving us with rather firm unappetizing noodles. And the scallop special is very misleading: the picture shows plump juicy sea scallops, but the reality is that every sea scallop is cut into thin slivers, basically giving you 3 whole scallops in the entire dish.
Service was fine, and the place is well decorated. Overall, not impressed, I may just have to stick to going to Elmhurst for real Thai food. -
Review from Lauren C.
New York, NY
1/19/2008
The lunch specials are c-h-e-a-p, yo. I had an awesome peanut sauce dish on one visit and the chicken basil the second time around. Both were awesome.
A big plus is that its great for all your vegetarian friends, since eeeevery dish can be made with tofu and they're definitely eager to customize and shake shit up.
Seriously, 7 bucks for lunch. I say hell yes. Especially to the killer soundtrack of lite fm circa 1989.Listed in: Lunch Time in West Chelsea
