Yes, yes 1000 times yes, you need to come to this restaurant! In the heart of Brookline village lies a new Thai fusion restaurant that's been here for a couple of months now. To my friends who are in their 20s, this has been all the rage for me on social media. this place has so many great selections but let me show you the ones that need to be ordered your first time coming. Hot dog - this was a hit. The portion was massive, and I split it with my friend. The onions were super flavorful, and the sauce was powerful. My only negative take was that it was extremely salty, followed after the tamer kale salad. Pot Pie - the incorporation with curry and roti was a pleasant surprise. It took me back to the many times I ate at Penang at Chinatown when I was a kid. The taro fries, kale salad, and onigiri were great but the two up top were the real showstoppers. read more

Merai - taro fries, kale salad, onigiri - Thai Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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Phenomenal phenomenal meal at Merai tonight. I did not make a reservation, but I called ahead and they confirmed bar seating is first come first serve and they have some walk in tables / waitlist. We were able to snag two seats at the bar. I drove and parked across the street at a meter (free after 7pm) and there was a few spots around. Alternatively very accessible by the green line. The salmon rice soup was the STAR. It cooks as they pour boiling broth over the meal. The soup was packed with flavors. The kale salad was large and had a peanut dressing that made it really really nice. The risotto was very good as well. One of my favorite meals in Boston. I'm hoping to go again. Together we got two drinks and three dishes. It came out to ~$50 each after tax. The restaurant is definitely on the smaller size but I wouldn't say it was particularly loud. If I got again I might skip on the drink and get more food. I would definitely recc a reservation for groups larger than 3. read more

Merai - Kale salad, salmon rice soup - Thai Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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This spot has become one of our favorites in the greater Boston area in the little time it's been open. From the house made sauces (I'm looking at you lemongrass ranch and sweet chili!!) to the perfect balance of flavors in each dish to the mirage of Thai inspired cocktails. Every bit of Merai shows care, care to Thai cuisine, care to Thai culture, and above all care to a great time. read more

Merai - Mussels, taro fries - Thai Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Had a great time here tonight! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Dining room has a great vibe[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], We came hungry and ordered just about everything on the menu. Pork dumplings, Kale salad, Beet salad (special), Bolognese, Ribs, Taro Fries, Hot Dog, Onigiri, Bao, Chicken Rice, Crab Croquettes, everything was sooo good. Service was excellent, the two servers could not have been more pleasant and accommodating. Highly recommend read more

My partner and I got the yukhoe, hot dog, risotto, fettuccini, bori bori (for one), and flan - TASTE: 5/5 - star of the show was the yukhoe, hands down! So well balanced w all of the laab spices. Other highlights included the hot dog's savory krapow sausage, risotto's sweet coconut milk, and flan's strong Thai tea flavor TEXTURE: 5/5 - great contrasting elements throughout, like the yukhoe spread onto the bread and tender mushrooms in the risotto PRICE: 3/5 - knew it'd be higher price points, but the $133 total was still more expensive than expected SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - left dinner satisfied. The bori bori serving for one was still shareable between us two SERVICE: 4/5 - made a reservation for Sunday at 5pm earlier that day, and there were a couple parties seated when we arrived. Our waiter was helpful and all the food came out within 20min ATMOSPHERE: 5/5 - hip and modern Thai space w great music and a bathroom w awesome decor too too. Looking forward to coming back! PARKING: 4/5 - got a metered street spot on Harvard St read more

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This one is hard to rate. The ambiance was top notch for a Saturday night. Very date night ish, dark feel, low lights, small tables. Innovative drinks. Strawberry cheesecake with the foam was delicious. We literally licked the foam off. The dinner is hard to rate because we had definite highs and lows. The risotto, taro fried were delicious. The mussel broth was very flavorful but we got grains of sand in most of the mussels we ate. The chicken rice dish while innovative, had a funky smell/taste to the chicken. We returned the dish to get the fettuccine. The sauce was great but the chicken again had the same weird taste, like it was under- or no-seasoned. The wait staff was great and comped the two dishes we didn't eat. So four stars overall, one star off because in just not sure what's up with their chicken... read more

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A solid 4.5 Came here recently with my wife and tried a few plates and a few cocktails. The taro fries were nice and crispy, well-seasoned, and the sauce added some good sweetness/mild spice. Cold noodles were great and not like anything we've had before. The flavor is like tom yum you'd find elsewhere but having it cold was interesting and worked much better than expected. The fact they use Tom yum broth to make the shaved ice that keeps the dish cold is an awesome touch. I do wish it came with four full shrimp instead of two shrimp cut in half, which makes you think it's four at first. Pork dumplings were also good but probably the one dish of the three we wouldn't necessarily order again. Can't exactly say why though - they definitely weren't bad and they come in an oil with spices and yuzu but for some reason felt like they were missing something for me. For drinks, we got the Hojicha, Silky Way, and Wongka's Ticket. Hojicha is basically a highball and mine wasn't mixed well so it started off kinda bland and then got better. A straw or better mixing would have made it a better cocktail from start to finish. The other two were excellent and we would easily order them again. FYI the Silky Way is more citrusy than expected based on ingredients (feels like it has lemon), but is really really good. Wongka's is isn't too heavy coconut in case that's a concern (I don't love a lot of coconut, so this was perfect) Wait staff were very attentive and nice. Ambience is cool with a modern darkly lit with candles vibe. read more

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Easily my favorite new restaurant opening of 2024!! I went in without knowing too much of the menu other than some pictures I saw from social media or in an article, so I didn't know what to expect too much other than this place being very Thai influenced with other Siena flavors. Not only was the food incredible, but the service was super attentive and friendly, and loved their range of music throughout the night. So many innovative dishes from the Thai flavors we know and love....let's get into it because the menu speaks for itself. We ordered: - Khao Soi Fettuccine ($22) All the components to a classic Khao Soi, but in pasta version. So rich and flavorful without it being overpowering, and the chicken was juicyyyy. So good - Tom Yum Cold Noodles ($17, my favorite dish if I had to choose but honestly it was all so good) I ordered this without knowing about the tom yum part, so when I was eating it, it took me by the best surprise. The black tiger shrimp was super fresh too. This might be my favorite cold noodle ever - Yukhoe ($19, Korean raw beef, beef tartare vibes) High quality and an easy dish to share, although all the dishes are quite shareable! - Krapaw Hot Dog with salted yolk mayo ($18) HUGE Thai sausage. Oh my goodness I didn't know what to expect from this but wow it was incredible, a huge level up to your standard hotdog. Plus the salted yolk mayo was amazing - Taro Fries with sweet chili sauce ($8) Best take on taro fries I've ever had, it was a nice thick cut, soft, warm, and crispy on the outside. - Shrimp Tempura with a curry aioli ($16) Giant and freshly fried shrimp with the best curry aioli to dip it in. Table favorite! - Thai Tea Flan ($9) Honestly genius....we were not going to order it because we were so full but it would've been a huge mistake. Great Thai tea flavor and so refreshing with the Thai tea shaved ice on top We each got a drink but collectively the one we all loved and one I'll be ordering again is their Strawberry Cheesecake cocktail ($15)- the cheese foam really worked with it and it actually tasted like a strawberry cheesecake it I am dying to go back again!! read more

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Was incredibly disappointed with our visit to Merai. Came in for a birthday and we had a 6:30 reservation. We came in early at 6:20 and were seated. Ordered food and drinks that came out pretty quickly and the waitresses were friendly. At around 7pm as we were finishing some of our small plates, the waiter/bartender came over and let us know that another party was coming for the table. We didn't see anyone waiting. Even though we ordered a risotto dish he either ignored us or didn't hear and promptly rushed out the birthday dessert. The birthday person was very disappointed. I checked our reservation and tables are reserved for 90mins. I think you can get more bang for your buck elsewhere with friendlier service. read more

Tried this place for the first time one late dinner. It's pretty tiny so there's not a lot of seating but the vibe was pretty fun. Music was a teeny tiny bit too loud though. 1/ Food: 7.5/10 Their fusion dishes were pretty interesting. We tried a few dishes including the stuffed rice chicken wings, cold noodles, pork dumplings, risotto and got a flan dessert. Cold noodles and pork dumpling were our favorites, truly having a unique and well-seasoned flavor. Would 100% come back for those. Risotto was also good, and we thought the garlic rice stuffed inside the chicken wings was pretty cool. Flan dessert was great as well. 2/ Ambience, Location & Value Good cozy place in a cute Brookline area. Prices are quite on par with local restaurants-- not on the low side, but reasonable. Our service was good as well! Overall, we will come back! There are certain things on the menu that we would love to try, and I would love to have the cold noodles again! read more

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A nice little bar in a quiet neighborhood, but don't expect too many main food options as it is mainly a bar. I came here with a reservation for two, but it seemed like there were plenty of empty tables so I think we could have walked in just as easily. We tried two drinks, hojicha and soap opera (I believe was the name). Both were good, but not unique nor did they taste too strong, unless this was the purpose. We tried their hot dog, which was gigantic and the mustard-like topping was truly delicious. The mussels were also pretty good and something I could order again, but mostly just to dip more bread in the sauce. I was a little disappointed in their poutine, the meat had little flavor and the cheese had solidified by the time it got to our table, so it had become quite chunky. Overall, considering the price, I don't think I would come back, especially because their menu is small. I do think that if I try more of their drinks, I may change my mind as it was more of a bar atmosphere anyways. read more

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Excellent service. Nice presentation of the dishes. We got the salmon rice soup, mushroom risotto, taro fries, kale salad, etc. I like the tiramisu with a Thai infused tea. They pour the broth on the salmon at the table. Friends liked the drinks. read more

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Came Friday night during the rush without a reservation. We got drinks within 15 mins of entering while we waited even though it was completely full. Cocktails were very creative which was fun. Food-wise the hamachi Kama with the Kaeng som sauce was amazing. Had to resist ordering another so I could try more things. Mussels were perfectly seasoned and the broth had a nice spice to it. Tried many other things which were all delicious, I would reorder everything. Strawberry cheesecake cocktail was the perfect dessert. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small place so it doesn't get too loud, and has chill dim lighting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Spent the whole week telling all my friends about Merai. Excited to come back. read more

I finally made my way to Merai after months of having my eye on them! Mirai comes from the team behind Mahaniyom which is also one of my favorite restaurants! The ambiance is super elegant with mood lighting, sleek interior, and a stacked bar. The service was honestly a little too attentive though - we got asked way too often how we were doing. But better too much than too little! We got 3 drinks: Sober Opera, Bori Bori, and Plum. Sober Opera was my favorite because it had all the elements of a cocktail I love: gin, citrus, slightly sweet, and foam! I would 100% get it again. The Bori Bori was so cool because it came in a tea kettle. It is inspired from Korean barley tea and is infused with vodka and yuzu. This is a more acquired taste but I liked it. The plum was okay, I think the spirit kind of made it taste like a swimming pool but that's just me! For food, we only got the cold noodles- their take on a cold tom yum noodle soup. The tom yum flavors were definitely there. I loved how refreshing it was while also being a bit sour and tart. It felt like a fusion of tom yum and Korean cold noodle naengmyun. I definitely need to go back and try more of the food. I don't think I got a good grasp on the food yet so.. guess I'll have to come back! read more

Merai - Thai Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

I have Many things to say about this place (this is story time but if you want the review just scroll down a little lol) This place opened during my last week in Boston (lived there for four years) and I was obsessed with their sister restaurant, Mahaniyom (I also have Many things to say about that place), so I knew I had to come try this place out. We came opening night and it was packed - looked like standing room only, music was loud, and the energy was electric. I was in a party of six and we were seated at a table for four (we were sharing two chairs between three people on my side of the table, but I knew it would be worth it). We sat at the back so throughout the night we would see all the dishes coming out of the kitchen and the ooo-ing and ahh-ing and "what is that?" coming from our table was absolutely obnoxious. We ordered a few plates for ourselves and everything hit the spot, as expected. In addition to the food, my friends and I all ordered different drinks and conveyor belted them around the table so we could get a taste - we made it through more than half of their cocktail menu that night and had a really yummy sake as well. The whole night felt like a party and the team was holding the place down so well - they were attentive, efficient, and brought such good energy with every interaction; these are the type of people who effortlessly make you smile - and it wasn't just because it was opening night. I was having many farewell dinners that week since I was moving out of Boston, and I ended up at Merai three more times that week. The second night I met Earth who I recognized from Mahaniyom, he asked us to introduce ourselves and he whipped up some yummy shots for my friends per request of some guests at the bar. The next day I came after dinner (strictly to have their dessert), and our waitress recognized me and my friend from the other night and gave me a good laugh saying "wow, it's early for you guys!" Troy, one of the bartenders, also recognized us and served up a round of shots before we left to commemorate our third time there. And then our last night I brought a big and rowdy group, and I got to meet Chompon Boonnak who bartends and you know, owns the place. I was able to have a round with him and something about it felt very full circle for me since Mahaniyom and Merai had become special places for me during my time in Boston. I've never had a bad meal with them; you order a bunch of small plates and every bite is a unique experience and coming at you full force with so much flavor. Meanwhile you're being helped by one of the best teams in the food and restaurant industry - I feel like I can't properly communicate the hospitality they bring to their guests over text, it feels like you're dining with a friend or someone you know. But yes, long story short I will keep coming back to this place every time I visit Boston and here are my top recs: Drinks: Strawberry Shortcake (this is the crowd pleaser for sure), Wonka's Ticket (personal favorite, strong with gentle notes of chocolate?), Lucky Sunny (for any mezcal fans out there), and Melon (refreshing and very light). Food: the Hot Dog (delicious but also for the vibes), Cold Noodles, Yukhoe, and the Flan (it's Thai Tea flavored, don't make the mistake of not getting this because you will likely regret it). These are to get you started, they have a very solid menu so definitely try other stuff. Also make sure to go to the bathroom :) read more

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New spot just opened a couple of weeks ago but they are hitting on most cylinders. Themed Thai pub food and it hits the mark. Well decided inside w dark woods and centered around the bar are the dinner tables. Walk in and a nice beat is playing all night. The food and service is where they shine . This is a menu meant for you to work your way through it grazing and sharing . We started w the dumplings. 4 well balanced dumplings in a bowl w a wicked sauce. Right mix of sweet tangy and spice and herbs finished off w umami of the soy sauce, all the elements you expect from a Thai sauce. Dumplings were soft hardy and flavorful w the pork mixture. Then we moves to the bao. This was pork belly at its finest: tender sweet sticky, colorful contrast w the bao steamed bun and red peppers and green basil. Was dining w a young budding helper and foodie and this elicited a 3 omg responds. But just when you thought night couldn't get any better the masterpiece of the evening appeared: the hotdog. I know l know your le thinking how could a hotdog be the best dish but let me tell you this dog barks! It is a krapaw sausage on a perfectly toasted bun w salted egg yolk mayo and it a total delight. This elicited. 5X OMG after first bite. And the quote was bar far the best hotdog over and would rival any ball park hotdog. It is all the Perdue flavor profiles tiggt skin juicy greasy inside w some sort of veggie herb blend inside and the salted egg yolk mayo is an aoili on steroids. This was so good we ordered 2. Honestly we should've stopped there because after this all others paled in comparison though they were good. The fettuccine was a base hit the chicken thigh inside was amazingly tender and perfectly cooked. The buffalo wings were new and it even o n menu so we tried them. They were well cooked, crispy juicy and had that Thai lime finish that added a nice unctous flavor to them. Probably would be great w a nice Thai beer! The drinks were the area of the menu that didn't stand out but weren't bad.we had mocktails, maytoom and mojicha. Solid base hits that tended to be tea forward, light on alcohol and simple presentation but that's I think in keeping with pub theme. They are not trying to be cocktails forward. Lastly the service was excellent and super friendly and attentive. All in all this ones a fan favorite so book your seat now because this is sure to have waiting list for a while. read more

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Hot Dog - 5/5 Fettuccini - 3.5/5 Mussels - 3.5/5 Flan - 4/5 Overall very cozy, perfect for a slow date night and a chill time. The food is great, but they all have a ton of flavor and it could be a bit overwhelming. Doesn't have the best balanced flavor palette, made me feel a bit light-headed from the flavor. The Food~ Surprisingly, the hot dog was the star of the show. The sausage isn't just any sausage. It has a nice kick, with banana peppers, carmelized onions, seasoned and stuffed with scallions and peppers in the meat on a toasty Texas style toast bread. Juicy and delicious. Must get. The Fettucini wasn't anything amazing. It felt a bit confusing actually where the Khao Soi flavors come off really strong and a bit too overpowering. The juicy chicken thighs help soak up the flavor. The Mussel seasoning was filled with a buttery curry and you can taste a bit of the sake. A tiny tiny hint that'd you'd notice if someone told you it was there. The mussels were tender and not overcooked like some places do. The Flan is a great balance with the sweet coconut milk cream, salty sorbet and sweet flan. The Logistics~ A great ambience, bar seating, and cool interior with dark black reflective tile backdrops. The tables and furniture felt very clean and the servers are attentive and fast. The playlist was very chill and it wasn't too noisy, but was full of people. There's a lot of street parking as well. read more

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YUM! After seeing this restaurant everywhere on socials, I can now say it is WORTH the hype. There wasn't a single bad dish, but there were definitely some major stars. First, the service - everyone who works here is on top of it. My water glass was basically never empty and the wait staff was very nice. The food also came flying out of kitchen! Vibe - the restaurant feels like a moody, modern fusion place. It's pretty small so perfect for a date night or small group, not create for a large crowd. Drinks- we got the melon and wonka's tickets. Melon was yummy and refreshing; get this if you love melon soda. Wonka's ticket was a surprise; pretty strong with nice hints of chocolate Food- as every other reviewer has said, you absolutely have to get the hot dog. It was so delicious and not dry at all. We also loved the taro fries and shrimp tempura. The things that kind of fell short were the onigiri and the fettuccine (kinda one note). But even those were still pretty good! read more

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Our absolute new favorite spot in Brookline! Such a fun, welcoming, delicious cocktail bar/restaurant with absolutely incredible food and drinks. Drinks: The Plum is the best light and refreshing drink we've tried so far. Fizzy, essence of plum, a nice burst of lemon. We've also had the strawberry cheesecake, sober opera and bori bori. All delicious and you really can't go wrong. Food: Please do yourself a favor and get the hot dog! The most unique flavor ka prow sausage in the best roasted bun and delicious yolk aioli. The kale salad is underrated - so nutty, savory and delicious. Love the chicken and rice (soy garlic flavored wings stuffed with rice), cold noodles, khao soi fettuccine, mussels, yukhoe. Please try the thai tea flan for dessert! Delicious coconut ice cream on top of a rich sweet flan. Every staff member we met at Merai is so incredibly welcoming and kind. You can tell they are proud of their restaurant and love what they do! We've been twice now and have plans to go back often read more

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Food: like a 4/5 this restaurant is thai flavors with a korean like twist among other fusion. - got the yukhoe was unique and refreshing. Kind of grainy but okay. Mussels in red curry were not bad could go with or without them. Wish the curry was a little thicker and less watery like the addition of maybe more coconut milk. -cold noodles (not pictured) probably the best dish imo. Very refreshing and unique with the tom yum ice -taro fries were pretty good crispy exterior with a potato like inside (but make it taro) sauce was like your sweet and spicy sauce that you use for eggrolls pretty okay - drink (not pictured) strawberry cheesecake was very unique and quite pleasant if you like alcohol that doesnt taste like alcohol. Nice balance of flavors one of the better drinks I've had in boston area. Dessert(not pictured) Thai tea flan and had icecream on top. I think the concept was unique dessert a little too sweet and the coconut milk was at the front of the not wished the thai tea was a little stronger Ambiance: more date like vibes. Pretty cool and unique. Service: sat at the bar and the bartenders were pretty attentive and very nice. If you want a table suggest making a reservation. If you dont mind sitting at the bar walk ins ins around 7 pretty open. read more

Merai - Back left: yukhoe Front middle: taro fries Back right: red curry mussels - Thai Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Merai is fantastic. We had the crab croquettes, shishito peppers, hot dog, chicken rice, and bolognese. All the food was excellent and we were blown away. The staff is extremely attentive and friendly. Example: they overheard us joking about the bolognese being spicy and they gave us ice cream on the house after. Highly recommend. read more

This second restaurant by the Mahaniyom team is a solid follow-up but is lacking somewhat by comparison to its sister restaurant which is one of the top restaurants in Boston, in my opinion. Merai is much smaller in scope and menu. The cocktails are good and emphasize unique flavor profiles. The food is good as well - though very heavy on pork and shellfish. The taro fries were a perfect crispy snack to start with our drinks. The "chicken rice," which is rice fried inside of chicken drumsticks, was surprising and tasty. Their take on khao soi (the fettuccini) was also well done with robust flavors and a little kick. The beef tartare had rich flavor but some of the spices gave a notably grainy texture. Because it is mostly small plates, though, we left feeling like we had had a lot of snacks and small bites but not a full meal. Overall, a lot to like here though perhaps some room for further growth as a new concept. read more

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Maybe don't come to Merai as soon as it opens? I walked in at 5 to a group of staff and photographers creating content of the drinks and food, was barely greeted, and was sat right in the middle of the pack of people walking around and behind me taking pictures. I asked to move and said I felt very in the way, and was moved to the other side of the bar where I was in the background of ongoing pictures of the bartender which made me very uncomfortable. I then tried to order a cocktail that was unavailable until 9 - with no demarcation on the menu - and ultimately ended up ordering their cheapest beer and fleeing. I love Mahaniyom and was so excited to try this place but was made to feel so incredibly out of place as soon as I walked in. So if you're trying it - don't go as soon as they open, and maybe wait a few months until they're done creating content and have fine tuned their customer service. read more

Mahaniyom's sister restaurant, Merai, really delivered with their unique cocktails and extremely flavorful food. The Sober Opera and Strawberry Cheesecake cocktails were delicious. The bao bun, pork dumplings, tartare, and hotdog were all delicious dishes. If you try one thing, I'd recommend the hotdog. The service was very attentive and friendly, and the atmosphere was cozy. I will definitely be back to try everything else on the menu! read more

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So good I forgot to take a picture. It's my favorite place!!! Seriously INCREDIBLE and food and drinks. Will be here regularly. Amazing service too read more

We went here recently, has really good experience. We ordered almost the whole menu and enjoy the foods and drinks. The place is good size but be sure to make reservations. read more

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Incredible food. Music was too loud but god it was worth it. Best beef tartare (yuckhoe) I've ever had read more

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Great food, great cocktails. Courtney at the bar makes incredible drinks, and there's plenty of super interesting snacks and food on the menu. The service is warm and fast, we came here for a quick dinner before a show at Roadrunner. read more

Hits the mark on all fronts. Great drinks, very tasty menu (had tacos and hot dog). [[HIGHLIGHT]]Excellent music (if you like hip-hop).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] will definitely return. read more

My fave place in Boston that I've dined at so far!! Everything here is amazing! Loved the salmon special they had where there is salmon and rice with hojicha poured over it to slightly cook the salmon. Also liked their take on beef tartare, the khao soi fettuccine and the AMAZING hot dog! I don't even like hot dogs usually but I'm dreaming about this hot dog. The Thai sausage with salted egg yolk mayo was one of the best dishes I've had all year. And the service was great - our servers were so helpful and sweet. Definitely a return!! read more

Whoo boy. Lots of good things to say. I came here on their second day after opening with two friends. Our party of 3 crushed 4 cocktails, 6 dishes and a dessert. 1. Taro fries - crisp, hot, delicious. Great snack at a good value. Solid choice. 2. Hot dog - I ordered this because I was obsessed with the idea of a SALTED EGG YOLK MAYO. HOWEVER, the star really is the sausage. At first I was concerned about splitting one hot dog 3-ways but the sausage is so hefty that 1/3 really was an excellent 2-3 bites. I get why this is a crowd favorite. 3. Khao soi fettuccine - I am in general a huge fan of Khao soi so it's hard to ruin this dish for me. The standout is how tender and juicy the chicken thighs were. DROOL. 4. Pork dumplings - these came compliments of the kitchen, though we debated as a group whether or not to get them. Juicy and the spice is an interesting hit of mala first and then almost cracked peppery spice after. Not your typical spice profile, imo. 5. Mussels - another solid choice. Relatively unique flavor profile with mussels. On a side note, I can see why they offer a side order of bread because the leftover sauces of these dishes are phenom and good for "sop up with bread" dining. 6. Cold noodles - GUYS. I know the hot dog is the cool kid on the menu but don't sleep on the cold noodles! I don't know if it was because I was really hungry on an ugly humid day and that's why, but there was something SO fantastically refreshing about a cold tom yum noodle. ALSO - thinly sliced cucumber with cold noodles is classic but THINLY SLICED APPLES AS WELL?? Genius. So good. Would 1000% order this again. 7. Thai iced tea flan - the tea flavor in this flan is unreal. There is nothing artificial tasting about it. The Thai ice tea ice cream on top was relatively crystallized. Not sure if that was intentional or not but our whole group agreed that we actually loved it - the crystal texture was a great contrast to the smoooooooth texture of the flan. I think even non-flan fans would enjoy this (as was the case for one member of our party). 8. Cocktails - collectively our group got the kakagroni (on the sweeter side but delicious), the matoom (also on the sweeter side but delicious), the hojicha (fun Asian twist on the Arnold Palmer with a good earthy tea taste) and the wonka's ticket. The wonka's ticket is a crowd favorite for a good reason - the strong vanilla part of pandan flavor comes through as a great aftertaste without tasting artificial at all. Also, somehow, the buttery/creamy taste came through without feeling heavy. The only thing that could've made these better is if they came in slightly more fun drinking vessels. Service was incredibly attentive, fast, and pleasant. All 3 of us left feeling very satisfied and full. Can't wait for my next visit to try the other half of the food and drinks menu! read more

After arriving at nearly 10:00pm to our hotel in Brookline, my wife wanted something Asian for dinner. She found Merai was open late and within walking distance. The streets were quiet but here we found this little gem of a restaurant. it was dimly lit and looked a bit romantic for a family of four, but we found it to be very cozy with an upbeat vibe. The food and the service were absolutely amazing. The smoked duck bao were so delicious we had another round. The pork dumplings were fabulously spicy. Everything we ordered was wonderful. The small plates were shareable and we just added other dishes until we had had enough to eat. We wound up ordering quite a bit of servings and it did add up a bit, but the food was so good it was worth every penny. If you are looking for something Thai and a bit unique, I would very much recommend giving Merai a try. read more

One word - hidden gem. Lol that's actually two words but yes, Merai is such a beautiful little jewel in the heart of Brookline Village. We picked this place to get dinner to celebrate our dating anniversary and it was definitely the right decision. Merai is a small tapas like restaurant that focuses on experimenting with Asian fusion with a focus on Thai dishes. We got 1 dish each for ourselves, one to share, and a cocktail. We were very impressed! The dishes were tom yum cold noodles, chicken rice, and pork belly bun. The cocktail I got, I forgot the name but it's the only with the lychee foam and gin. I am not a fan of gin but it was not a bad cocktail to pair with such flavorful dishes like the ones we ordered. Personally, I would love it if they had more cocktail selections and maybe like a chef's choice when it comes to drinks. I was craving a lychee martini that day and would love to try something similar to that but the bar was only able to make the cocktails that were on the menu. No secret recipes or customization. Now let's talk about the dishes. The chicken rice caught us by surprise a bit since we expected this dish to be a plate of rice with chicken on top but what we got was chicken wings deboned and stuffed with rice. Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely phenomenal. The sauce reminds me of Vietnamese fish sauce wings and the rice was very tasty. Love the cornichons on the side to add some acidity to the dish as well. I think after this dinner, I developed a huge craving for tiny little pickles and I eat them as snacks now! Anyway, let's keep the main thing, the main thing. The tom yum cold noodles was probably the best cold noodles dish I've ever had in my life. I still dream about it. It was so flavorful and love that it's paired with shrimp which is my fav protein. It's pleasant to look at and it's definitely something I would absolutely order over and over again. The pork belly bao bun (yes singular lol) was delicious as well, I was skeptical with the pickled ginger part but the flavors work wonderfully. The Merai team was also super sweet, we booked our reservation through OpenTable and did put down the anniversary info but we never expect anything from doing so. But the team went above and beyond beside giving us one of the best tables in the house (imo), they also gave us shots on the house! If there's any little criticism we had, it's just the cocktail selections and the portions of the dishes here. I understand this is a tapas experience but man, I would love to order an extra large of that tom yum cold noodles. Thank you Merai for such a wonderful anniversary dinner experience! read more

Merai - Thai Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

The atmosphere is TOO LOUD! Maybe great for younger group! Did not have time to eat there because the wait was long even though we made reservations! read more

Had the best time at Merai! The drinks were INSANE - march specials changed my life!!! We love Kiana!!!

Younger sibling of the excellent Mahaniyom, this is more bar food-ey but everything is good. The drinks are creative and well worth trying, and the shrimp and taro fries are probably my favorite food items. Go Merai! read more

Do not get the chicken rice. It's literally 2 (?!) pieces of tiny chicken legs, for 18 dollars.... Like seriously? Ambiance was ok, value for money is honestly pretty bad... Pretty disappointed with the experience. read more

We tried six different dishes and only really enjoyed the risotto, but the hot dog and bao bun were pretty good. The risotto was good enough to come back for but everything was good but not amazing. Drinks were interesting but not anything so unique it would push me to come back. Loved the vibe and the atmosphere and the service was great! It is small so definitely make a reservation and be ready to be nicely rushed along to make room for the next party. Come here for the vibes, a decent cocktail and a snack but go elsewhere if you want a more substantial meal/broader variety. read more

Noisy, crowded, and very good food, very good service. They should add some nonalcoholic beer to the drink list so a person who doesn't take alcohol can feel grown up. Kale salad an eyeopener. The famous hotdog is deservedly famous. Go. read more

Rushed to order, eat, and get out. Not even offered dessert. It killed the ambiance and ultimately the experience. We will not likely return or recommend. read more