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

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

Notes: Outstanding nam khao tod/crispy coconut rice/sour sausage salad. Also would heavily recommend the crispy fish salad (or larb pla.) Reasonable prices for portions. I was here with my usual group (though larger at 12) having heard rave reviews about this place. I'm a big fan of Northern Thai food pacifically liking food from Isan/Esan which has a strong Laotian influence and the food here was outstanding. The service was friendly and my only complaint perhaps is that they don't really have enough drinks such as roselle. We ordered two of each of the the following with my two favorite dishes being on top and then the rest just being in order of when they arrived. Top 2: Nam Khao Tod- Crispy rice salad with sour pork sausage, peanut, ginger, shallot, scallion, and cilantro I love this dish originally found in Laos and this is probably my favorite version I've had along with at Zabb Putawan (on the UES.) Excellent mix of sour, sweet, savory, and spicy. Would highly recommend. Crispy fish salad/Larb pla- Fried tilapia with mint, onion, scallion, garlic with roasted rice powder and lime dressing This was a uniquely presented larb consisting of a deep fried fish where several of the more meaty pieces had been fried separately. That resulted in the meaty pieces having a perfect fry. The rest of fish was also tasty with it likely being double fried or something similar as the bones could be munched through. The larb top added some good freshness to help cut down the richness. I would also recommend heavily. The rest in order: Crispy taro cake- Fried taro cake with sweet sauce This was the first dish that arrived. There were some peanuts also in there and like everything else that was fried, it had a nice light crisp. Solid version but I've had solid versions similarly in other spots. Kung chae nampla/Raw shrimp salad- Raw shrimps with chili lime sauce I have had this dish also at Zabb Putawn and I found it a bit better there. It was a bit spicier there and I liked the fact that it was served with bitter melon instead of the odd celery here but perhaps they couldn't give any bitter melon or something (which is doubtful being near Jackson Heights.) Still tasty with fresh raw shrimp. Kor moo yang/Grilled pork neck- Grilled marinated pork neck with Jeaw sauce. Tasty grilled pork. Nothing really to complain about as it was properly grilled with a good chew. Crispy pork belly- with Jeaw sauce These were little tasty nuggets of pork belly with just enough fat so there was a nice texture. Also was tasty. Crispy frog legs- Esan style deep fried frog legs wit garlic and Sriracha sauce The only noteworthy thing about this what the size of the frog legs. I am used to them being tiny but these were meaty and tasty. Light fry compared to the other dishes but perhaps this is since frog is more subtle in flavor. Also good. Mee ka tee/Coconut milk noodles with crab, pork, egg, onion, and peanuts The dish had a real heavy coconut milk flavor and I would say that the ground pork overpowered the crab but it's hard to complain regarding the price point. Would probably recommend for fans of either Khao Soi (outside of it's halal origin) or massaman in terms of how sweet it was. Pretty good but I liked other dishes more. Tum tua/Green bean salad with pickled fish sauce and crispy pork skin This dish was probably the most adventurous due to the pickled fish sauce aka plara. For people used to the spicy fermented stuff like me, it was tasty though I found the beans to be under-cooked with an odd texture being probably not blanched long enough. The people of course not used to that spicy fishy flavor weren't exactly fans. I believe this dish is traditionally made with long beans iirc. Crispy duck basil- Basil sauce with broccoli, pumpkin served with Jasmine rice This was probably one of the only disappointment dishes. The basil sauce was nice but the duck wasn't as crispy or nearly as well flavored as at the nearby Saronrom or Zabb Putawn. There was at least a nice mix of duck. Beef pad kee mao/drunken noodles- Fresh rice noodle with egg, broccoli, carrot, onion, bell paper and basil leaves I'm unsure why our host ordered a dish more commonly found in non Isan spots but perhaps he got it to compare. Alright version with the egg being unique but the noodles were over cooked and the beef was a bit overdone. Perhaps the wok was a bit hot or something. It came out last also which was surprising. We stopped for dessert at Sweetory afterwards. Outside of the crispy duck and the dish that we probably shouldn't order in a Northeastern Thai spot, I don't really have many complaints. Some dishes were among the best I've had of their type and now I know the place to go to if I'm really craving Nam Khao Tod. Mid 4 for the overall quality and nice big portions as well as the friendly staff. Probably my second favorite of the Northern Thai spots barely edging out Zabb Putawn (outside the shrimp/duck) and behind Saronrom. read more

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

Great selections of Esan dishes. I always get Papaya salad, larb and Grilled Chicken liver. Restaurant only have a few tables so you gotta get there early to find a spot to dine in. read more

Hug Esan - Grilled Chicken Liver - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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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

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 consistently delivers! Decided to try pla pao which is a whole grilled tilapia with all the fixings. The lemongrass stuffing really gave the fish a smoky earthy flavor. The sauces that came with the dish is so bomb. I wish I can buy a quart of it. read more

Hug Esan - PLA PAO - must get! - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

One of my favorite places for Authentic Papaya Salad in Elmhurst, this place delivers on the heat and the flavor. The service is friendly, the price is pretty good for what you get, the ambiance is fine it is a very small place. Overall: Come here if you love SUPER spicy papaya salad and thai food. I will definitely be back. read more

Was really looking forward to this meal... The food wasn't terrible, but the star of the show for me which was supposed to be the crispy pork belly, was really over cooked and hard. I also didn't realize that the pork belly would be breaded and then fried? Other places had relied on crisping the actual skin of pork belly... Unfortunately won't be returning. Leaving a good star review as I'm not trying to hurt the business. read more

Within hug esan, there are other great Thai restaurants. I've gone to ayada thai for years and I'm upset that I never gave hug esan a try until recently. Their dishes taste authentic and amazing! The noodles on their pad thai is definitely different than most places. They use somewhat wide noodles but the flavor was spot on. Larb pla, the fried fish fillet was great as well. I like how it came with lettuce wraps and herbs, it was a great combination. Tom Thai papaya salad was good. It tasted like regular papaya salad. Being that it was a popular and signature dish, I expected more. It is a small spot, only about 5-6 parties can dine in. The service is exceptional and the food came out very quickly. They do not take cash but will take Venmo and Zelle. QR codes for their venmo is printed next to the bill which was a great added touch. Will be coming here again very soon! read more

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Living near this hidden gem made me procrastinate coming here, but it was so worth! If you want to try dishes that are not your typical thai food, this is a place to go. Esan is from Northern Thailand, and they have dishes where the proteins would be eaten with sticky rice. I got Gai Yang and they tell you step by step how to eat it. You roll the rice and cut a piece of the meat, and dip it in the fish sauce. The pungent fish sauce was infiltrated with different herbs, so that the chicken would not be too dry. The small restaurant makes it so cozy and makes me want to come again. Even if you aren't from Queens, it is worth the trip! read more

Hug Esan - Gai Yang - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

The meal here demonstrates what skilled cooking can achieve. The employees functioned with remarkable efficiency and all personnel showed joy in assisting. The food is EXCELLENT and reasonably priced. What sets this place apart is its neighborhood integration. They make outstanding dishes! read more

The menu here follows its own path rather than trends. Employees here treat every customer with respect. The compact space creates an intimate setting. The kitchen maintains high quality. Visit and discover if it meets your standards. read more

Just my quick thoughts on this place. Hug Esan is remarkably impressive. Their food quality and customer care deserve praise. The team knows the menu and treats customers well. The area's dining options improved with this place. read more

The spring rolls and pork jawl were my favorite! Small place but cozy. Service was good. Definitely worth a try! read more

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I enjoyed it immensely! The service quality alone makes this restaurant credible. Certain plates deserve mention but all satisfy. You might find yourself a regular customer. This spot deserves lasting success. read more

Grabbed takeout from here. Overall, pretty solid for what we ordered. We grabbed the nam khao tod, which was my favorite of the few dishes we got. Also got the tom zabb and neur nam tok, both of which were good. Recommend ordering it with some spice (at least mild) to get the most out of it. Good amount of food. read more

I had previously give this place a five star review; unfortunately did not have the same experience this time. We got take out on a Friday night. Pad se-ew - the flavors were there but they used the same skinny rice noodles that they use for a pad thai; so although the flavors were there in the sauce, it just tasted off and the texture was off; I could not get past that. The beef was also super dry and over cooked. Gonna have to give this dish a 2 The crab fried rice, which was one of my favorites last time, was a little bland this time. There were also a few pieces of crab shell left in the rice. Going to have to give this one a 2 as well. The best part of the meal was the fried pork belly, Fried very well, all pieces were crispy, well seasoned, did not feel too greasy. Sauce is spot on. Will give this dish a 5. So overall a... two 2s and a 5, comes out to a 3/5 this time. read more

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Thai food is thai food right? Apparently not. Hug Esan a northeastern thai cuisine situated on the edge of woodside and elmhurst was a delightful experience. Food was fantastic as my favorite dishes were grilled pork neck and porklarb. I love Vietnamese and thai food. This feels like a hybrid between the two foods that i love. Great find. Don't forget to order the coconut ice cream at the end. read more

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I stopped by recently to pick up some take out. While it was not crowded. The food was really delicious - spicy green papaya salad (as ordered) - tomato forward which was new to me and different; green curry with beef - the curry had incredible flavor and pad Thai - also very tasty. Looking forward to going back to try more things read more

I discovered this place through a Thai friend of mine who recommended this place to me a year ago. I've been coming here almost every month ever since then and I think I will still make the trip here even after I move to Brooklyn. The food is EPIC here. I've tried almost everything at Hug Esan and nothing ever misses, it is always so heavenly. Super kind service and a located in a really cute intimate setting. I'm obsessed!!!! It's inspired me to learn more about the beautiful culture and the Thai language! A must-go if you are in the Elmhurst area :) ! read more

Hug Esan - Crispy Crispy Tilapia, Pad Thai, Pork Spring Rolls - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Almost beat Thai E-San food in Queens Very authentic flavors, nice atmosphere Good service best coconut ice cream for dessert (sorry no pic couldn't wait to have it !! ) read more

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Ate here today for lunch with my sister and 2 cousins. We had tried, brought and ate different types of dishes together. It was really good and delicious. The service there was also fast, quick and attentive that we didn't feel rushed about what to choose a dish to try for the first time. I couldn't agree more. Finally, I would definitely eat and come back again next time! :) read more

Coronavirus Diary Day 130 - 7/22/2020 Finally I got to try this renowned Isaan restaurant! Most items on the menu are from northeastern region of Thailand where its food is usually spicy. There are a number of styles of Papaya Salad you can imagine, plus all sorts of Laab. As I've been craving Isaan food since the lockdown began, today I treated myself with Tum Korat, Homemade Isaan Sausage, Pork Crêpes and Bamboo Shoot Salad. I ordered those salads medium spicy since I can't seem to handle super spicy food anymore, and I'm glad I made the right choice! Tum Korat (Green Papaya Salad with Cooked Fermented Fish Sauce and Dried Chili Peppers) is very true to style! Bamboo Shoot Salad is spot on! I ate up all the juice with Sticky Rice. Homemade Isaan Sausage could be more sour, but it's great nonetheless. Pork Crêpes are good as well. Sticky Rice, on the other hand, is somewhat pricy for $2.50 a pop. My food was--well--a Solid 4.5 stars! read more

Hug Esan - Tum Korat $14 - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

When customer wants to take the food home PLEASE, be happy and willing to do it. I did not finish my fish yet and I order the full set of food so I should get the whole thing back. When you know I love your cooking and don't want to throw the food away please smile and don't ask if I want this and that. Food is always good, I can't complain that but sometime just not really friendly vibe service. read more

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Please be advised that there is an intermission from 3:30 PM- 4:30 PM so plan your meal accordingly. Ordered to go as per usual. Combo set Grilled Whole Tilapia 1) Grilled Whole Tilapia with noodles and sticky rice. The fish was good but did not enjoy the scales. It comes with two dipping sauces. One is sweet and tangy and the other is spicy. The noodles were nice and soft. The rice and noodles balance the meal when you need a detour from flavor town. 2) Papaya Salad. (Tum Thai)(Medium Spicy) We went with the traditional Thai Papaya Salad. It was spicy and fishy. 3) App/Larb Salad/Soup- They have a wide variety of choices. (Chicken Wings) The wings were tasty and came with a tangy chili sauce. Sauce so good we used it on other stuff. Mee Ka Ti - Curry rice noodles in a peanut sauce. Highly recommended. Thai Iced Tea- Tastes like Thai Iced Tea. read more

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Thai restaurant with interesting dishes that are unusually not found in the typical Thai restaurant. They have frog's legs and pork blood and so many types of papaya salads! They have combo sets which includes an entree, sticky rice, papaya salad and an appetizer. It won't save you much but it's a few dollars less than ordering them separately. I had the BBQ pork set with tum thai papaya salad and fish cakes. I got the papaya salad with mild spice, but it was still pretty spicy. I also ordered crispy frog's leg, crispy pork belly, grilled squid, and khao piak sen. The khao piak sen is a soup noodle dish with pork blood cubes and pork. I enjoyed the noodles and broth but it was very pork heavy. Not a fan of the blood, but it's an acquired taste. My favorite is definitely the pork belly and papaya salad. The pork belly was so crispy and delicious with the spicy/tangy sauce that it comes with. Everything else I could pass on. They're not bad, but they don't stand out. read more

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Best papaya salads i ever had. So good. All their other dishes are very nicely prepared and delicious. Be aware that thai spicy is actually very spicy. I love very spicy food, but this is no joke. I love it. Highly recommend this place. read more

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Hug esan specializes dishes from Isan in Thailand. Every dish was phenomenal. Would return for the tilapia. read more

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Very tiny restaurant but I liked the decor and the authentic Thai flavors. I really liked how the flavors focused on a lot of mint, cilantro and other Thai herbs, it made all the dishes pop. I thought the prices were reasonable as were the portions. The food: Larb Pla- Crispy Tilapia salad with mint, shallot, scallion, cilantro served with fresh vegetables and sticky rice. I thought the fish was great, it was nicely fried and I really liked the sauce and scallions, there was a little bit of sweetness to go with the heat which was nice, I ordered this and everything else med spicy. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=jsZGDkrUOwfacQTK1uqd2g&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Pork Spring Roll- Egg, carrot, mushroom, onion, bean sprout, glass noodle with homemade tamarind sauce. I thought the spring rolls were really good, I liked the filling and how crispy and ungreasy the spring rolls were. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=xY73hpU7XSnFLGNzH9JUgQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Crispy Pork Belly- Fried pork belly with Jeaw sauce. I thought this was good but it's kinda cheating lol Anything fried, especially pork belly, will be good, I did like the batter though, it was nice and light. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=So2ptVEr2TDScUs0A4hNNA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Combo Set C with BBQ Pork, Tum Thai and Pork Liver Larb BBQ Pork- The flavor on this was good, but I felt the pork was too sweet and the pork was missing that nice charred flavor. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Zj0xvc6MiwYnQYJUYxhDkw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Tum Thai- I liked this dish, the medium spicy on this was spicyyy but it was a good heat. The flavors were legit. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=qWu5_ztwinfM4wCXP5CUeg&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Pork Liver Larb- I thought the flavors on this was authentic as well but I think the ground pork came off rather dry, the liver was masked well since it tends to have a strong flavor, the ear was good but not really a major factor. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=o39N3CFn7e1yTkAUwEGdkw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Crab Meat Omelette Over Rice- I thought this was just a standard omelette, the egg was OK but the crab wasn't really a fact. On a side note, they use the original Sriracha sauce from Thailand not the American Huy Fong we see in America. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=trfkPxFT4hsbwrdqvVp0qg&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA read more

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Okay let's forget your Michelin-rated Thai spots in the city for a minute. Hug Esan is a small hole in the wall located in Elmhurst serving one of the most authentic Isan dishes like this Nam Khao Tod- crispy rice with sausage, ginger, onions, cilantro, mint leaves, all topped with peanuts and chili lime dressing. I asked for Thai spicy since a lot of restaurants I feel hold back to adjust to the Western palate however this wasn't the case here! I smelt the dish punching me in the face coming out before I even saw it and it was PACKED with flavor which got better after each bite. I ate some and took the rest to go because I wanted to save space for their homemade coconut ice cream topped with peanuts, corn, and jellies-- super creamy coconutty and not sweet at all. Please do come by this small gem and try their food, servers are very sweet and smiley and seem very proud of their work which is always a good sign :) read more

Hug Esan - Homemade Coconut Ice cream - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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10 out of 10 love this place. Small place but so welcoming! Food were top notch! Always have a good time when we come here.

This was a wildly different experience from most other Thai restaurants that I have visited. I had the mushroom larb and green curry with vegetables. The larb was fresh and bright, which made a nice contrast with the warm and rich curry. I asked for a pretty high spice level, which was the perfect pick me up for a rainy day. This was definitely worth the trip from Manhattan! read more

This isn't what Elmhurst needs. Another fantastic Thai option in Elmhurst just isn't necessary. It's overkill as there are many neighborhoods in this great city that could use some Thai love that seems to be concentrated here in Elmhurst. But alas here we are and my tastebuds are tuned to Thai food like no other. Whereas the menus of the nearby Thai restaurants may be limited, Hug Esan in my opinion, is more diverse. There are thai omelettes with varied protein options, there is a fried tilapia, there is a rice noodle pork crepe, and then there are the standard rice noodle and fried rice options. The crab omelette was bursting with crab. The eggy part of the omelette may have been a little over done but I think that's because I got it to go which may have contributed to the over doneness. Still, I enjoyed the crabbyness of the omelette and would definitely recommend trying this dish in-house. The rice noodle pork crepe was delicious. Thin rice crepes with ground pork were great with the sauce. Most importantly, the rice noodle was thin and silky. The spring rolls were strangely cut up but one order did yield more servings than I expected. Similarly the fried tilapia was a bigger entree than expected, deep fried and delicious. Hug Esan is a really small restaurant with about 20 seats. There was basically one waitress serving dinner and taking care of togo orders. Still she was remarkably efficient and made sure I was comfortable while I waited for my large order. read more

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We ordered delivery and the food was very not good. we ordered the vegetable pad thai and sour sausage fried rice and both of them were incredibly sweet and not savory. the fried rice especially had almost a vanilla like flavor to it. I also got eggshells in the egg in the pad thai. Maybe their other dishes are good but i'm steering clear because there are more reliable thai choices in the area. sorry :( read more

My first two orders from Hug Esan were mind blowing. I mean .. mind blowing... the heat level is superb if you like heat. I usally order Thai Spicy and it is way too spicy for me. I stick to Spicy. Their beef salad which is sliced rib eye with rice powder, red onions etc is amazing. Pad Thai as boring as can be, Hug Esan not only gives you a massive amount but some of the best ever and I get it, because I need something to help quell the burn. It's the only non-spicy item I get. This place is one of the best Thai places in the USA. read more

My first taste of authentic Esan thai food! Super tiny interior with probably enough room to seat 18 people total. Pretty large menu with something for everyone, however not very vegetarian friendly. Staff inside is rushed and busy, however you need to be patient to have such authentic food! read more

Spicy is NO BS here! Unique and delicious Northeastern Thai food is the true experience here, if you're looking for typical Thai dishes like Pad Thai - not the place for it! Way before the pandemic, I had the luxury of dining here with friends. This little restaurant was cozy and super cute. Most importantly, I love the flavors of spicy and fragrant herbs. Family style is the best way to go about to try as many dishes. With the pandemic, my friends and I got take out from here after missing Crispy Pork Belly. We ordered the Crispy Pork Belly, Pork Spring Rolls, Hug Esan Papaya Salad, Tom Zabb, and the Fried Tilapia. This is the perfect combination of dishes to share with four people. Crispy Pork Belly is my favorite dish here. It is perfectly fried that each piece is so crispy and tastes even better with the accompanied thai spicy lime sauce. Pork Spring Rolls really took me by surprised by how delicious they were. I loved wrapping a piece with lettuce with cilantro, herbs, and their homemade tamarind sauce. Hug Esan Papaya Salad was a showstopper! Papaya was shredded and mixed with peanuts, tomato, and crunchy pieces of green beans (my favorite part about it). It came with pork sausages, marinated fried pork, crispy pork rinds, vermicelli noodle, pickle, bean sprouts, and lettuce. Mix and match to find your favorite ingredient combination as the possibilities are endless. Tom Zabb is a flavorful hot and sour soup we got with spare ribs and it had mushrooms, scallions, shallots, and lemongrass. Beware of the spice level, the medium was pretty spicy! Fried Tilapia were cut in mouthful pieces and deep fried but not greasy at all. It came with a sauce that you shouldn't be shy about drenching your fish with! Sticky Rice is a must and best accompanies the dishes here. Get it! read more

**Delivery Review** One of the many Thai restaurants within radius in the neighborhood. Fairly quick delivery window of 25 minutes and a wide array of items to choose from for dinner on a Saturday evening. Decided on the Pad Kea Mao Duck ($23) to go along with a Noodle Soup ($13). Had originally ordered the vegetable Green Curry, but unfortunately they cannot make it without fish sauce. Duck dish has a large portion of duck breast sitting on a combo of flat noodles/eggs/veggies. I had asked for medium spicy on the noodles and they still pack a pretty big punch. The sweet marinade on the duck calmed down the spice a bit, making for a solid combination. Not vegetarian-friendly, so would only order from here again for myself. read more

Hug Esan - Pad kee mao duck - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York