A bit different from the Thai food you're probably used to but change is sometimes good! We had some of the best fish and chicken we've ever had and also loved the starter salad. Chicken was so so crispy and you could just head the crunch with every bite. Fish was also great and prepared really well. Staff were nice and could help you with recommendations as needed! It's not a huge establishment and is pretty popular so you may want to expect a wait time I believe it's cash only so bring cash! read more

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I've been wanting to try a restaurant in New York that serves authentic Isan/Northern Thai food, and we found this spot in Queens. It's not in Manhattan, but I'm telling you -- it's worth the trip. It's located right next to Little Thailand and easy to find with Google Maps. One downside is that the space is very small. They only have four small tables for two and one larger table for 3-4 people, so it might be difficult for bigger groups unless you make a reservation. We arrived right after they opened, and not long after, the whole place was packed. Besides the size, the restaurant is really pretty and cozy. The menu is interesting and offers a wide variety of dishes -- fried, stir-fried, grilled, soups, and more. Here's what we ordered: Crab Fried Rice - We ordered it without much thought, just to try it, and it ended up being one of the best Thai dishes we've ever had. Even my husband (who is Laos/Thai) loved it. He rarely gets to eat crab because his mom has a severe allergy, so this was special for him too. (We forgot take picture lol) Crispy Pork Belly - Served super hot and crispy. I love that they battered it instead of just deep-frying it plain. It had great texture and was so flavorful. Tum Thai (Thum Mak Hoong) - We ordered it very spicy and asked if they could make it Laos-style. They tried, and it was pretty good. It was slightly lacking the strong fermented fish sauce (padek) punch that gives it that bold, pungent flavor. But honestly, it's still very close to Northern style -- just more approachable and less intense, so more people can enjoy it. Sticky Rice - Served the traditional way in a bamboo basket (aep khao) with a lid, which keeps it piping hot. I love when restaurants keep it authentic like that. We wanted to order more because there were so many options, but just three dishes were already enough for us -- we even had leftovers. They packed everything very securely; I carried the papaya salad around all day and it didn't spill at all. It is pretty pricey, but honestly, it's worth trying at least once for the quality and authenticity. We'll definitely bring his parents here next time we're back in NYC. read more

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Love this spot! If you know you know ! Love everything here ! Must try the crispy rice salad, pork Larb, pork noodle soup, combo plates and more ! read more

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Came with my family after hearing soooo much about Hug Esan over the years and how good they are. I will say I think Thai food has just been getting better and better over the past five or so years and so the competition is stiff. Nonetheless, Hug Esan stood out in a few ways. They have a menu centered around Esan or Northern Thai food, and so you won't find a lot of the things you're used to here. The prices are a bit higher than your other Elmhurst staples. That being said, the food is pretty solid and worth a try - their chicken was meaty and the sauce was nice , bright and spicy. The laarb was solid. I think my favorite thing, also because of its relative uniqueness, was the crisped rice salad, containing bits of crispy rice, herbs and spices, and crunchy pork. It has a nice crumbly/crunchy texture and was not something I've had before. Homemade coconut ice cream was a nice touch, and definitely tastes homemade. Check this place out! read more

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I-sarn food (Northeastern Thai fiod) , heard them from NY times , not bad at all especially Pla Pao...

A great restaurant for Esan Thai food. The flavors are spicier and funkier than your typical Thai restaurant. You can choose the spicyness of the dish you order. The portions are decent sized. I recommend any dishes off the hug esan signatures. The space is on the smaller side so it can be cramped. Service was good. They have extra lettuce for the larb. read more

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I've been to Hug Esan years ago, and decided to come back since I was visiting someone at Elmhurst Hospital nearby and wanted Thai food. This place really is a hidden gem, it looks like a hole in the wall from the outside, in a small one-floor building that Hug Esan has occupied for quite some time. Inside, it's cozy and definitely on the cramped side, so don't expect to bring a big group here. You might have to wait a little for a table if it's busy. Food-wise, they seem to have a few signature dishes that they're known for -- one is even advertised on a poster on the wall. I asked the server for a recommendation, and she suggested the Gai Yang (fried chicken), which comes with sticky rice, two dipping sauces, and for an extra $5 you can add a side of fresh lettuce and herbs for wrapping. It was a great choice for one person, and really tasty. One thing to note: they only accept cash, Venmo, or Zelle, and there are signs up letting you know so plan ahead. read more

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This place is $$$, esp the dessert. 3/5 Grilled squid $18.95- ever so slightly rubbery, has flavor on its own, comes on a bed of raw cabbage which I'm not a fan of, wish it came w/ rice instead, the sauce that came with it was amazing although too spicy for me, sweet & sour too 3/5 sticky rice $3- standard 2/5 lemon Thai tea- too sweet, even w/ lemon Dessert: I suggested combining these 2 desserts & selling as 1, as I tried to recreate the amazing mango sticky rice w/ coconut ice cream I had from Poom Thai Dessert LA at Wat Thai. 4/5 mango sticky rice $15- almost as good as the I I had from Poom Thai Dessert LA. Only difference is Poom Thai's mango was: riper, sweeter, there was more mango, it was cheaper even tho it came with coconut ice cream, there was no lentil. I expected the mango to be riper & sweeter, guess it must not be mango season yet. I'd be down to try this again next month. I find fried lentil to be a strange addition to this, but I'm glad they put it in a separate bowl, since idk why anyone would want a salty topping on mango sticky rice. 4/5 ice cream Kati $10 - comes with palm fruit, so good, except i think corn, altho sweet corn- is super weird in desserts & on pizza. Idk why so many Thai desserts have corn on or in them. I'd def pass on the corn next time. 5/5 service read more

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WOW! What a great meal! The portions were LARGE so we're glad we only ordered 2 dishes! We ordered the larb pla and the pork soup. The pork soup had sweeter flavors than I anticipated, delicious tho and it hit the spot on a rainy day! Also had a lot of meat (pork spare ribs, pork meat and pork sausage). Although the larb plan price nears $40, it's a huge portion and will have you busy eating for a while in wrap style + sticky rice. Limited seating but on a Wednesday did not encounter a wait which was nice! read more

Hug Esan - larb pla - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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Still very delicious Thai food with a cozy feel. We ordered the papaya salad, chicken larb, crispy rice with pork, beef rib eye (so good!), and pad see ew with shrimp. The flavors were so plentiful that I was amazed with each dish. I especially enjoyed the crispy rice and rib eye. These were done just perfectly. The presentation and the taste were spectacular. I noticed they can accommodate food if it's too spicy and make it less. All in all, the meal was memorable! Our waitress was attentive and checked in on us. We really felt at home here. read more

such a lovely place! the rice was nicely crisped with a great spicy lime flavor. would skip the pad see ew but the other 3 dishes were amazing! the coconut ice cream had a nice texture with the peanuts and corn and jelly. really great place and our waitress gave us great reccs. read more

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A hidden gem of a Thai restaurant, with a homely atmosphere and delicious, authentic food. The space is quite small, and it has a cozy, family-run feel. The service is excellent--the server/owner is incredibly friendly, knowledgeable about the dishes, and attentive. The food is exceptional, with each dish offering something unique. You're provided with sticky rice (very hot, watch out), lettuce, and herbs to pair with your food, encouraging you to experiment with combinations. My favorite dish was the Nam Khao Tod, or crispy rice salad. The rice was packed with flavor, with chewy and crunchy textures. The Larb Pedd, a duck larb, was milder in intensity and instead highlighted the flavor of the duck. The Pla Pao was also excellent, though you'll need to be mindful of the bones. The papaya salad was an assortment of different Thai foods, perfect for family-style dining. Some notes: no need to worry about allergies- they can remove nuts from dishes or provide alternative sauces. Against the server's recommendation, we tried the Tum Plara sauce with the Papaya salad, which is more traditional and has a distinctive fermented fish flavor. While interesting, I'd probably opt for the Tum Thai next time. The spice levels here are also quite authentic--unless you're extremely confident, I wouldn't recommend going for Thai spicy. Overall, this is an incredible restaurant, both for its outstanding food and top-notch service. I'll definitely be back. read more

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wow! smaller restaurant but they fit my group of 8 beautifully. the food here is amazing!!!!! so authentic, flavorful, and offers a diver range of textures and flavor profiles. immediately yes. come here to try some traditional and authentic thai dishes!!! service also amazing! they treat you so sweetly and with care. read more

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Hug Esan has been around for a while but there are just so many Thai options in the vicinity that I am now finally trying it. There were some items on the menu that I was unfamiliar with and perhaps it is due to the nature of Northern Thai cuisine. We ordered pad thai and a fried whole fish fillet with sticky rice. Can never go wrong with pad thai, and this one was exceptionally good. I liked the thickness of the rice noodles and the sauce was well balanced. The fish fillet came with a bed of greens and herbs. This fish was fantastic, crispy and the vinegary sauce was full of umami. Making lettuce wraps with the fried fish and sticky rice was a first for me. Curious about the pork bone soup and their barbecue chicken for next time. read more

Hug Esan - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

This is the kinda Thai food that makes you remember how much you love Thai food. Not that I need a reminder, but it's so exciting to try stuff that tastes so wonderfully authentic and exciting -- none of the same ol same ol here. It's a tiny place so we showed up literally as they opened on a rainy day and were seated immediately. Big stand out dishes were Mee Ka Ti curry and the Papaya salad, both of which were pretty fiery hot at medium spice and still deliciously complex tasting. Just that perfect balance of flavorful and lightly sweat-inducing. Jealous of the people who live close enough to order out from here on a regular basis. Brooklyn really is missing out, man. read more

OH MY GODDDDDD, this is a restaurant that you cannot pass up!!! truly in my top 5 for all of nyc!!! ordered the nhao kum taod, grilled fish, papaya salad, larb pla, and tomyum soup - every single dish was good and so unique! esp liked the larb pla!!! restaurant is small so call ahead for larger parties. the servers were patient with our large party! I cannot recommend this place enough!!! read more

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Returned with a big group and tried most of the menu!! We shared Larb pla, Larb pedd, Gai yang, Nam khao tod, Mee ka ti, Tum sua plara, Thum tai, Spring rolls, Moo yor, Neur yang, Crispy pork belly, Crab fried rice and Pad ka prow. Crispy rice salad, crispy tilapia and steak were the highlights this time. Also loved the steamed sausage!! read more

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Really interesting to try esan dishes instead of the classic thai options. Everything was very good and gives off home cooking vibes in a warm, comforting setting. Even from the outside it looks like an apartment. Inside, the space is tiny but cozy with only 5 tables and from where we were sitting the kitchen was visible. Favorite part of all the dishes was having plenty of lettuce, cabbage, thai basil, and cilantro to add to every bite! read more

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Came here only for the larb pla and somtum salad and it doesn't disappoint at all! I like how big the fish and the sauce! Bring friends if you eat here and share it! read more

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We have been here twice now. First time with 7 ppl, ate a good assortment of many dishes. ALL were amazingly good. We shared family-style and oohed and aahed over every morsel. It was so good, we Had to come back. This time with friends visiting from oot. We got 4 dishes to share, and were bowled over with how good the duck and crab fried rice was. The shrimp pad thai and beef laab were terrific, too. They cleaned the plates of duck and crab. I mean raves! Service is brilliant and the kitchen can do no wrong. Highly recommend. read more

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Food: One of the best Thai restaurants I've been to. Every dish was packed with flavor. The grilled ribeye was cooked perfectly (medium rare) and marinated very well. The beef was moist and juicy. The pork larb was so tasty and full of aromatic herbs and spices. The dish is served with lettuce, mint, and other herbs to wrap the pork larb with. The grilled tilapia was very fresh and flavorful. Service: Staff was very friendly and attentive. They kept coming over to ask us if everything was okay. When the fish arrived, they removed the skin for us and even came back later on to remove the bones. Ambiance: The restaurant is very small and only a few tables are available so be sure to make a reservation. Decor is very nice and space is comfortable. read more

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I give 75 stars for the Nam Khao Tod. SOOOOOO tasty, flavorful, yum yuM yUM YUMM! The crunch of the lettuce and the rice, the limey zing, the mint and the cilantro, and the flavor of the pork. I'm not sure there's any better flavor combo. Do yourself a favor and eat this immediately! My Door dash picture doesn't do it justice. read more

Hug Esan - Nam Khao Tod - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

This has been my go to Thai spot for years. It's a really small restaurant and fits around 15 or so diners, so if you come for dinner you may need to wait for your seat. Pro tip - go for lunch or early dinner. My family and I recently dined here on a weeknight and got there around 6pm. By the time we were leaving, the place was packed. My favorite thing to order is their Pla Pao set ($60) - which includes their grilled fish, choice of papaya salad, and another side. I always get their regular Tum Thai papaya salad, and customize it to extra sour, less sugar, and 3 chilis. Another pro tip - every restaurant has their own scale of mild, medium, spicy hot so just tell them exact number of chili! Hug Esan is the probably only restaurant I can think about that is able to make papaya salad to my taste. The fish obviously is the star of the show - very fresh, perfectly cooked and flaky. I love eating it with their tangy red-orange sauce. We also ordered their Gai Yang - recently it isn't as good as I remembered and price was increased to $18. Spring rolls is always a hit here - it comes with a sweet sauce and a side of lettuce, mint, and cilantro to wrap it up for a healthy twist. They also cut it up into bite size pieces so it's easily shareable in a group. Cash only establishment! read more

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Overall i would say food is tasty, service is attentive but prices are of of whack for the area and the decor of this place. i get there is inflartion but their pricing is on the same level or higher than many fancier nicer lookimg restaurants in Manhattan...Overall recommend it trying it not sure how often i will come back due to the prices though. read more

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Food , Service and Ambience: all superb. Papaya salad is one of the best I have ever tried. We chose moderate spicy which is just about right for our tolerance. The sauce is to die for. Crispy tilapia is perfectly fried yet not oily. The dipping sauce comes with it is amazing. Crab fried rice is just okay. You will see some crab meats. But fried rice itself is not that great. Definitely need to go there again for other dishes. Pay by cash. No credit card. You can Zelle or Venmo. read more

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These are one of those meals that just makes me so happy. We have been looking for a Laotian restaurant in NYC, this is a Thai restaurant that serves food from a region of Thailand that borders Laos and hence the dishes are very closely related. Nam Khao Tod has been one of our favorite dishes in general for the past couple of years and they did it flawlessly here. (Can confirm that it's still one of my favorite dishes) The Khao Piak Sen was INSANE and addicting, an absolutely amazing soup. It was sour, sweet, umami, salty it just had everything. And it was HUGE! Larb Pla was lightly fried to perfection with an awesome fish sauce to go along with it. Every dish just wrap it up in lettuce, with rice, and a bunch of herbs of your choosing and you have a perfect meal. The server was so friendly and I love how simple the restaurant was. Only cash or Venmo! read more

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I'd rate Hug Esan four and a half stars. Elmhurst continues to be one of the best neighborhoods for Thai. Hug Esan seems to be one of the top spots that I failed to visit when I worked in the area. Better late than never! Ventured here on a hot summer day with my wife. We arrived around 1:30 pm and were seated immediately. A few things to note. First, they only accept cash, Venmo, and zelle. Second, they're closed Thursday. Lastly, they're on break from 3:30 to 4:30. Plan accordingly! Restaurant is small and cozy with seating for slightly more than a dozen. It's on the casual side and feels family run (or at the very least, is definitely a small business). There was one server working there entire front of the house handling hosting, waiting, and busing duties. We decided to opt for one of the sets which is plenty of food for two. We probably could have taken some food to go, but I risked a stomach ache and cleared our plates We shared the tum Thai, the Neur Yang, and the Pork larb. Everything came out simultaneously. It included sticky rice, but I also asked for some lettuce which the gratuitously provided. We ordered all this dishes as mild or medium, but they'll accommodate spicy or even Thai spicy for the daring. Fish sauce hit my sense of smell almost immediately. I'm not a huge fan of fish sauce, so it was off putting at first. However, I quickly acclimated and the meal became more pleasant. The mild and medium spiciness were not very stimulating. I think spicy or possibly Thai spicy might have been the better option. My favorite bites were piling a little bit of everything onto the lettuce and eating the mixture like a taco. Flavors came through most balanced that way with sweetness, acidity, and funkiness were the most prominent. Loved the various textures too including the soft sticky rice, the buttery steak, and the crisp papaya and lettuce. Our meal came out to just over $60 with tax and top included for the three generous plates. I'm pretty satisfied with the pricing for the portions and variety. read more

Oh my, what a gem of a Thai restaurant! Everything we had was delicious and the service was top notch. It's a small little cozy honey space and we loved it. I wish I took pics but we were hungry and devoured everything on the table! Go here, you will not be disappointed read more

Most of the time, my husband and I order from here. Super authentic Thai food and fast delivery. read more

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Taste is so horrible- liver is barely cook with blood. I called them liver salad is blood with barely cook . read more

Hug Esan - Pork liver Larb - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I had a perfect midday meal at this spot. Restaurant workers are the reason for the top rating. The food tasted good but the portion was small. The atmosphere here feels original. This place has made my favorites list! read more

Very delicious Thai food from the esan region!! Highly reco if you're looking for something different and wanna do family style A medium 6 pepper spice was pretty spicy for us and we can take a lot of spice so be mindful of the level as they range from 1-10. Crispy pork belly 5/5: fried just right - highly reco Larb pedd 5/5: loved the duck Tum poo ma 2/5 - not a big fan of the fish sauce tasting papaya salad but we were warned before hand! Neur nam tok 5/5: very tender and delicious ribeye Crab fried rice 5/5: subtle and tasty Pad kee Mao 5/5: they use a thin noodle, enjoyed the big portion size and the flavors were well balanced Thai ice tea 5/5: enjoyed this a lot and goes well with everything we ordered Dill soup 2/5: not a fan of the soup, a bit salty for our liking read more

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The restaurant shows consistency. The employees demonstrate preferences but never fail in their duties. Their kitchen staff knows what they're doing. The place provided complete satisfaction! This spot has me returning consistently. read more

The best Thai Esan food in NYC!!!!! I'm from Thailand and I can guarantee that this food is the same as the food that you eat in Thailand. You can adjusted the level of spicy according to your preferences from no spicy,mild,medium spicy, spicy and THAI SPICY!!! My favorite dish is Somtum plara, bamboo shot larb, Liver salad just to name a few. I wish I can come here more often if I live any closer. The staffs are very friendly and welcome all customers with warm smile and cheerful attitude every time even during peak time which is hard to be cheerful. Thanks to all of them for such a wonderful service. The ambiance of the restaurant made me feel that I'm sitting down eating Esan food in Esan region in Thailand. They always played country music which is really go with the theme of the restaurant and I am truly enjoy it. Even though the restaurant is a bit small and no enough room to space out, I still like to dine here due to great staffs and great food. Keep up great work Hug Esan and Thank you everyone. This is my favorite Thai place to go in NYC. read more

Hug Esan - Tum Plara - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Keepin it real out here in Woodside. There's not shortage of Thai food spots here in Woodside. This one is on a smaller end but packed with the same bold flavors. We went in to film some content (not for the restaurant) and ended up enjoying the food and the experience a lot. Only been there once, would love to go back again. read more

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Great Thai cuisine. Service is excellent. nice ambiance. Very authentic Thai cuisine. Will be back soon read more

Super authentic thai Isaan food. Very similar to Lao food. Small place that closes early. Not super cheap but big portions. Really nice waitress. I'm Thai and Lao so I know. Cash only or Venmo or Zelle. I'm definitely coming back as there aren't very many Thai Isaan places in NYC. Isaan is the Northeast region of Thailand that used to be Laos. read more

Hug Esan - Mok Nor Mai - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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This spot combines atmosphere and function. The food quantity hits the sweet spot. Team members show exceptional awareness. Hug Esan is positioned where you need it. I'm certain to come back! read more

Hug Esan creates a wonderful dining atmosphere! This place charges fairly considering what they deliver. You'll enjoy the comfortable, tidy space and especially kind team. Restaurant workers are patient and understanding. Hug Esan stays on my shortlist of exceptional places. read more

Tiny but very flavorful northern Thai restaurant in Elmhurst. I've been meaning to try it but every time I've been thwarted by the lack of parking in the area (almost impossible after 6:30) or it was closed (Thursdays people). We were greeted immediately and got a tiny table. Northern Thai food relies a lot on family style platters and salads. The menu to be honest was very overwhelming so it was hard to pick what we wanted. We decided on a traditional style papaya salad (fermented fish sauce) and a crispy rice salad. Both dishes had plenty of porky protein in it with tons of herbs. My favorite was the crispy rice salad- the different textures and flavors were very welcoming and umami filled. However because this is Thai food- I feel like my tolerance for salt is lower so I was looking for more lettuce or cucumbers to balance the flavors a bit more. This was also the case with the papaya salad- I felt like I needed more plain noodles or cabbage to really be able to enjoy this without downing jugs of water due to the salt and the spice. I had chosen medium spicy which is not for the faint of heart. This restaurant is a little pricier than your neighborhood Thai spot but given the fresh ingredients and the size- it was more than reasonable. However this place is cash only so be prepared! read more

Hug Esan - Papaya salad - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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