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Little Wayla

4.5 (22 reviews)
Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Updated 3 months ago

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LITTLE WAYLA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Little Wayla

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$5 lunch box with veggie curry and mixed vegetables on top
Su-Yee L.

Decided to check out Little Wayla for lunch today and was not disappointed! Their $5 lunch box ($5.44 with tax) includes rice, a veggie curry that was similar to massaman curry in flavor but not at all spicy, and mixed vegetables (broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, onions). Good portion for a light lunch and everything was flavorful if not super exciting. I enjoyed it--it's a good deal if you like veggies! I was told that the $5 lunch box is always the same dishes. There's also the option of a $10 lunch box where you get to choose three entrees over rice. The other entrees today were crispy chili chicken, tofu with string beans, and am eggplant dish. Apparently these dishes change every day. I'm looking forward to trying out some other dishes next time! Flavors don't seem as complex as the dishes at Wayla but everything was still tasty. Staff was super nice and happy to explain the options to me. You can eat in or take out. They're open from 12-3pm on weekdays so check them out!

Lunch box special
Madeleine B.

I stopped by for the lunch special. You get to choose 3 entrees in a lunch box for $10, and I think the options rotate daily. I got chili fried chicken, tofu and green beans, and green chicken eggplant curry. Everything was solid for the price, but not as much depth of flavor as I'd hoped.

Choice of 3 ($12.95) -- white rice w/ roasted chicken, salmon and green beans
Heidi M.

During the pandemic, Little Wayla's been serving up the community with incredibly affordable, authentically delicious $5 lunch boxes! Nothing like what you'd expect from a typical Thai takeout spot. From about 12-3pm on weekdays, sometimes they offer only one choice (usually a protein/meat with veggies) or two choices, which includes a vegetarian option. And since we're working from home now, we get to stop in all the time - it's been the best. Goodbye overpriced Midtown lunches, you are not missed at all! I believe they're always rice boxes (no noodles or any other "base") since it's the easiest to prepare, which is fine since the jasmine rice is always so fresh and so good. I've gotten the string beans and tofu combo a couple of times, the shredded curry chicken with bamboo another time, and once they offered these yummy (fried) hard boiled eggs that were soaked in a sweet soy sauce. These meals are very simple but they also have a bit of a spicy Thai kick to it, and always taste so homemade. My boyfriend and I are huuuge fans. Portion size is perfect for lunch, unless you are a big eater like my bf or want to save for dinner - then I'd recommend getting maybe 2 boxes per person. In addition, we always receive such wonderful service here. 10/10 neighborhood gem.

Storefront
Mike C.

The Wayla team just opened a little fast casual version right upstairs from the original restaurant. It's the pick a base plus proteins formula, but it's done extremely well. You can do greens, rice or sticky rice, and then choose among several proteins and vegetables. I tried rice with tofu & eggs and the ground chicken, which was nice and spicy. Definitely get a frozen Thai iced tea to cool down.

Wendy C.

I had just finished my driving lessons in the neighborhood and was STARVING. On my way home, I walked by a little Thai restaurant that seemed new and was eager to give it a try. The moment I stepped in, I felt fantastic! The fast restaurant was bright, spacious, clean, and simple. Just my type. It's minimalistic, yet comforting and welcoming at the same time. The two women working there were kind, attentive, eager to answer any questions I had, and made the process simple and quick. I was in and out in ~5 minutes. I got the three entree lunchbox with purple sticky rice (+ $1), pork jerky, broccoli/zucchini/brussel sprouts, and chicken curry. All of which were VERY delicious. Even my boyfriend (Thai food fanatic) approved. The only thing that I'm iffy about with the whole thing was the price tag. It was $15.19 for the lunch box, which I would say should have been $11 - $12 max. Definitely stop by for some quick and delicious Thai food if you're in the neighborhood, though!

Chrystina C.

Prepandemic, Little Wayla offered $12 lunch boxes with 2 choices of entrees. I'd have to say I prefer their post-pandemic $5 lunch boxes! They're smaller and the perfect portion size for lunch. Although my hubby sometimes gets 2 lunch boxes for himself depending on the selection. There's a rotating menu of 2 entrees. You can get both or just choose one. There's usually a vegetable and protein option. Although I've seen days where they serve meat patty and egg or all veggies. Their vegetable dishes are so flavorful, healthy, and delicious! Curries are also a must-get especially the chicken curry. The meat is soft, tender, and bursting with a kick of curry spice. I love Little Wayla! I could get it for lunch 3x a week and I often do.

Fried chicken, panang curry over rice, green beans, and carrots.

Phenomenal lunch restaurant; if I could give it 6 stars I would. The fried chicken was fantastic, not overly breaded or greasy. Very bright and clean ambience with plenty of space to sit, both inside and outside. The guy behind the counter was very gracious and offered to let me sample the curries when I asked which was the most popular. Prices are to be expected for New York, around $13 - $15. I'll definitely be coming back.

the counter
Minh M.

Since work has never allowed me to visit Wayla (which opens only for dinner on weekdays and brunch on weekends), as an avid fan of Thai cuisine, I was devastated. However, I was blessed by a deity figure (probably a god of Thai cuisine who acknowledged my desperation) and Little Wayla gracefully stepped into my life. I read about their opening on Wayla's instagram account and immediately made my visit today, which was their second day of operation. I was probably their first customer of the day since I came in just 20 minutes after they opened. Food: I got a 3-entree lunchbox with: Soy Sauce Braised Egg and Tofu, Green Curry, and Stir Fried Cuttlefish with white rice. Spot on Thai comfort food! The level of flavors were just right and comforting. I appreciate the fact that the menu offers dishes that you don't usually find in most Thai restaurants. Give me Little Wayla's lunchbox everyday and you'll see the best version of me. The only itsy bitsy tiny complaint that I have is the portion of the rice was a little less than I expected, but the lunchbox at a whole is very filling. Bonus: when a Thai friend explained to me that Little Wayla means "little time", I thought it was brilliant and they did live up to the name, being super quick without compromising the quality. Service & Atmosphere: The place is insanely adorable. Vibrant colors and decorations that definitely help with boosting the appetite. I was greeted by two girls at the cashier, who were friendly and looked joyful. I was surprised that, even though the concept revolves around lunchbox, it wasn't very "to-go friendly". The plastic lid did not fit the compostable container, so they had to tape my lunchbox to prevent leaking (even though it didn't help much), and I ended up having to hold it in my hand the entire time I traveled. Plus, the container absorbed a lot of the saucy goodie from the entrees, which did make me a bit sad. But it's not something that bothered me. Understandably, there were certainly a few first day's minor hiccups, but it was great overall. For now, sit down at one of their cute tables, immerse yourself in the whimsical vibe, and enjoy their awesome food. You know I'll be there whenever I can.

Tania S.

Came here for lunch and it didn't disappoint. It was a bit late in the day for lunch so they ran out of two of the items. I was a little sad, as I did want to try the yellow curry. Luckily, in the middle of assembling my second box, they replenished the two missing items! So I actually got to try almost everything, besides the broccoli which had pork in it. The chicken with bamboo was really good, had a bit of a kick from the peppers. The fried chicken was good. My only complaint would be I wished it was crispy. But not that bad considering it was sitting in a bit of sauce. The yellow curry and mixed veggies were good but I couldn't differentiate because the curry sauce got all over the mixed veggies. Overall a good meal and a great value at $10 a box.

Frozen Thai ice tea and lunchbox set

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11 months ago

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6 years ago

Wish it was open longer! The food is great, always different options, and friendly staff.

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SaiTong Thai - Green Curry with tofu

SaiTong Thai

4.5(432 reviews)
2.9 miTheater District, Midtown West

Came here for dinner. The restaurant was crowded on a weeknight but we were seated right away. The…read moredecor is chic and the service is excellent. Shoutout to our awesome server Ploy who took good pics of the group! I started with a thai mango surprise to drink, then got the massaman curry and drunken noodle for mains. Thai Mango Surprise- This has a vodka base. You get mango puree, sticky rice syrup, coconut milk and coconut cream. It's like a drink version of the dessert, very tasty! Massaman Curry- We got this with beef which was cooked perfectly tender. The sauce is sweet with a hint of spice and made creamy with coconut milk. Potatoes and peanuts add bulk to the dish. Drunken Noodle- We got this with chicken and they gave us a generous amount of it. The sauce is savory and spicy, packed with flavor. The noodles are soft and chewy. Great experience overall!

Walked in on a Wednesday night after watching a Broadway show in the area and was seated right…read moreaway. Not all midtown restaurants stay open past 10, and I was relieved to find their kitchen going strong at that hour, as well as their dining space, which was full. Turned out it was for good reason because their food was delicious. My friend and I were hoping to eat at a restaurant nearby specializing in crab, but they closed much earlier. Fortunately for us, SaiTong's menu had plenty of crab on it, and we decided to double up and make each of our entree's a crab one. The black spaghetti crab curry and crab curry noodles advertised themselves as being very different dishes in both presentation and ingredients but ended up tasting kind of similar. One was topped with deep fried crab and used a different type of noodle than the other, but the sauces were so similar. This is not to say that they didn't taste good, but I would've preferred more variance. I'm glad we got an order of papaya salad to cut the richness of the other dishes, and I also appreciated it had a nice level of heat in it. Our servers were really friendly without being overbearing, and let us linger for a bit even after we paid the bill, as it was their last seating for the evening. There are so many excellent Thai restaurants in the city and I'd put SaiTong firmly in the category of perfectly solid spots to get your Thai fix, with some special dishes on the chef's menu worth checking out.

Photos
SaiTong Thai - Bar area

Bar area

SaiTong Thai - Chicken Satay

Chicken Satay

SaiTong Thai - Green Curry with tofu

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Green Curry with tofu

Thai Villa

Thai Villa

4.4(5.3k reviews)
1.4 miFlatiron
$$

Loved this place!! Tried the fried tofu appetizer and it wasn't too spicy and very crispy. I also…read moregot the tofu eggplant, and it was very flavorful, and not too sweet. The massaman curry was also flavorful, but a little too sweet for our liking (tasted more like yellow curry, and less of the peanut taste we are used to) Nevertheless, I really liked their GIANT trifold menu and we will definitely be back to try the rest. Amazing ambiance inside (I ADORED the gold hanging decor on the ceiling) Bathrooms were very clean and staff was so efficient and friendly. They refilled water all the time and brought out food very quickly. We were celebrating a birthday but there was nothing brought out, so I don't think they have that kind of service here. It didn't feel super super upscale but also not just your average Thai restaurant. It was very crowded, but we felt like we had adequate space to move around and enjoy our meal.

This is my favorite Thai restaurant in the city! It's always busy so it's best to book a…read morereservation or hope and pray there are bar seatings, which is first come first serve. I ordered the calamari and pad Thai. The calamari was amazing. It was light and fresh. Be specific when ordering pad Thai, one has all the cuteness which is the Royals Pad Thai. The presentation is everything! If you change it and add chicken to it, they bring it out like a regular dish so only order with shrimp, if you like seafood! The ambience is very welcoming and trendy with a whole vibe.

Photos
Thai Villa - Long table

Long table

Thai Villa - Scallop Skewers (~$16)

Scallop Skewers (~$16)

Thai Villa - Dragon tattoo

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Dragon tattoo

Sabai Thai - Massaman Curry

Sabai Thai

4.3(623 reviews)
1.9 miFlatiron, Midtown East
$$$

Sabai Thai is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is always tasty, fresh, and delicious. It…read moreis always prepared and plated well. The ambiance is serene, peaceful, and delightful. Great place to eat in NYC.

My friend and I made reservations at 6:30pm on a Friday. We had intended to go for restaurant week,…read moreand the website said that Sabai was participating. However, when I got to the restaurant, I was told that they were not participating. When I brought this up to the staff, they did comment that several people made the same mistake earlier in the week. If that was the case, then why not correct the restaurant week website, or make it very obvious on your website that you aren't participating? Both of us were starving, and I had put in a birthday request at the restaurant, so we decided to stay. The ambiance is classy, and this would be a great spot for a business dinner or date night. I ordered a massaman curry with roti and chicken ($29), and my friend ordered the chuchi shrimp ($30) and curry puff ($16). Prices are a bit above average for the portion size, but justified by the area. We both enjoyed our dishes; the flavors were on point! Then, for my friend's birthday, they gave us mochi ice cream and a card signed by the staff! That was a nice touch that overrode the restaurant week debacle. Service was fantastic. There were multiple check backs and water refills. I would recommend Sabai Thai for a fancy night out, and I would return to try other dishes.

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Sabai Thai
Sabai Thai - $16: curry puff

$16: curry puff

Sabai Thai - Butterfly Pea Lemonade

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Butterfly Pea Lemonade

KRAAM Thai - Spicy Crispy Rice & Pork Sausage Salad

KRAAM Thai

4.5(107 reviews)
1.9 miFlatiron
$$$

Overall rating: 4.7…read more Stumbled on this place which was absolutely gorgeous. Went with a group of 5 and they were able to split the check which we really liked. I had the Soft Shell Curry which was delicious. Definitely get with white rice. I wanted to take some of it to go, but it was soo good I ate it all! The spot looks great solo, on a date or with friends. I loved it. When I came it was slow. But towards the end, it was so crowded and had like 3 birthdays. Highly recommend!

Kraam Thai on Fifth is a lovely respite from the transactional busyness of NYC. From the moment we…read morewalked in, we knew it was something special. The attention to detail -- fresh flowers, a discreet cultural altar, tamarind candy, navy cocktail napkins, gold silverware, and delicate plating -- was an absolute delight. We settled at the bar watching Kevin craft the most beautiful cocktails while sipping a few of our own -- pleased with every drop. The spicy crispy chicken rolls were chef's kiss. The ribeye garlic fried rice was bold, deeply savory & dangerously good. The chicken pad Thai struck a delicate balance between tangy and bright & perfectly restrained. If you find yourself north of Flatiron, and aren't feeling Korean - this little Thai gem shouldn't be missed; stop in on Mondays & Tuesdays

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KRAAM Thai - Entryway

Entryway

KRAAM Thai - Prawn satay - grilled marinated prawns with sweet and spicy peanut and mung bean sauce , serve with rice vermicelli, shallot, veggie relish

Prawn satay - grilled marinated prawns with sweet and spicy peanut and mung bean sauce , serve with rice vermicelli, shallot, veggie relish

KRAAM Thai - Roasted Chilean Seabass with ginger sauce

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Roasted Chilean Seabass with ginger sauce

Obao

Obao

4.0(4.5k reviews)
2.9 miMidtown West, Hell's Kitchen, Theater District
$$$

Obao has delicious food. If you're in Hells Kitchen and happen to stumble by Obao, it is worth…read morecoming in. Obao is has both Thai and Viet food. It does well with doing the whole "fusion" schtick without losing the essence and flavor of the dishes. Pad Krapoa Moo Krob, the meat on the pork belly was so juicy - the pork skin was crunchy and chewy at the same time, flavors of Thai spice, basil, and bell peppers harmoniously working together to bring a balanced meal. The shrimp basil fried rice was delicious, a great alternative if you're not feeling the crab fried rice. The service at Obao is always prompt and helpful, whether it's questions about the menu or recommendations, anyone is willing to help. Inside Oboa is dimly lit, a moody vibe that is fun and invites playful conversations.

While walking down the street in Hell's Kitchen, Obao caught my family's and my eyes. We looked at…read morethe menu and noticed that there were many gluten-free options, so we decided to try them out. The hostess stated how she had a long reservation list, but was able to get us right in! Once we sat down, our server, Spaghetti, came over to us. He was extremely friendly and took our drink orders right away. I ordered an Espresso Martini, and it was delicious. My father ordered a Vietnamese Iced Coffee, which was extremely tasty. For our entrees, my mother ordered the Pad Thai, and my father and I ordered the Pho Bó. My mom absolutely loved the Pad Thai! The Pho Bó was incredible. The broth was so delectable, and it was honestly the best broth that I have ever had. The portions were also incredible, especially for the price and being in the city! Once we received the check, we noticed that next to the Pho Bó, it stated that it is Michelin Recommended, and we completely understand why! We are looking forward to going back!

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Obao
Obao
Obao

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The Thonglor New York

The Thonglor New York

4.5(234 reviews)
3.3 miHell's Kitchen, Theater District, Midtown West

Stopped by The Thonglor New York for dinner and ordered the pad kra pow with a fried egg on top…read more The egg is definitely a must for this dish! As a Thai person myself and as indicated on their menu, it's the way most Thais eat this dish :) The fried egg added that rich, runny element that really brings everything together. The veggies were nicely sautéed, fresh and still crisp, and there was a good amount of ground pork, so the dish felt hearty and satisfying rather than rice-heavy. Overall, the flavors were solid and comforting, though I personally found it just a touch sweeter than I prefer for pad kra pow. Even so, it definitely hit the spot and was very satisfying for a late-night craving. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which made the experience pleasant overall. One thing to keep in mind though is timing - if you're dining closer to closing, you may feel a bit rushed toward the end of your meal. All in all, a solid option for Thai food! I'd come back again (probably earlier next time) and would be interested in trying more dishes from the menu.

Ordered takeout, was NEEDING pad thai after a night out. This didn't exactly hit the spot though…read more For being one of the most popular dishes...it's just mid. Not worth $20. The flavor is sweet with a heavy red hue to it. I typically like my pad thai on the browner side if that makes sense. The peanuts add more depth of flavor for sure but it could also use a bit of spice and should've came with a lime wedge to cut the sweetness. Great portion size though & takeout service was fast. Also beware if you don't like tofu as it comes in the eggs that they add to the dish.

Photos
The Thonglor New York - Atmosphere inside the restaurant of Thonglor New york Thai Cuisine

Atmosphere inside the restaurant of Thonglor New york Thai Cuisine

The Thonglor New York - Chicken pad Thai for my bday ayy

Chicken pad Thai for my bday ayy

The Thonglor New York - Goong Chae Nam Pla

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Goong Chae Nam Pla

Little Wayla - thai - Updated May 2026

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