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    No Work Allowed

    3.9 (48 reviews)
    Closed • 12:00 pm - 11:00 PM

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    Chicken wings scallop and salmon
    Victoria D.

    The food here looked rly pretty, but it was pretty mid, and the portions were quite small for the price. They had live jazz, but also a strict seating time limit. We wanted to stay a bit longer and were forced to buy drinks at the bar. The bartender was funny tho!

    Inside
    Ally F.

    Aesthetic: Hip, Thai Jazz club What to try: Cucumber Breeze cocktail Service: Excellent Parking: None Rating: 5/5, this was a wonderful place to watch local jazz in the city. We didn't eat, but the drinks were incredible! The cucumber breeze soju was one of the most delicious fresh green juice drinks I've ever tried, I would come back just for this!

    kaprow moo kai dao
    Hillary P.

    So happy I stumbled into No Work Allowed while initially looking for another establishment! It is an ABSOLUTE GEM of a space and menu! Very cozy atmosphere and very good bites

    Liz O.

    This place was sick! If you're reading this while waiting in line at Tomi Jazz, just go here instead. To be fair, I haven't been to tomi yet, but my boyfriend and I had a lovely time at no work allowed. The pear and coconut cocktails were really nice and smooth, and we also got the Karaage, edamame, and truffle fries. Everything was great! The band was wonderful too. I saw some people complaining about the quality of the jazz, but I thought it was great? Maybe I just don't know enough about jazz lol. Had an awesome time and will be back the next time we're in New York. staff was really friendly too, Considering how busy it was. No wait at 8 PM on a Saturday night.

    Erick S.

    Recommend: Thai Teani (martini), Ume Yuzu (plum wine) The experience here does not compare to Tomi Jazz, but if you don't want to wait in a long line, or simply want to experience another of Midtown's Japanese-inspired jazz bars, then give this place a try. I went on a Friday night, live jazz starts around 7:30p. I ordered a few drinks, including the ones I recommended above. Food is okay, but pricey for the portion size. When the place gets packed, it gets very loud and service is noticeably slower for everyone. The jazz band was good, but when they took a break they went up to every table to ask for tips/donations. I usually tip on my own accord, but would have appreciated not having my meal/conversations interrupted. Overall not the worst experience, but not a first choice considering the other jazz bars in the area.

    Blocked off entrance
    Steph C.

    Disappointing for so many reasons. First of all, it is so hard to find. There's not a sign out front for it, and in fact, there's a sign for a completely different establishment in their window. The most obvious entrance is actually blocked off so we tried multiple til we found it. Second, we went specifically for the dinner menu on their website. When we got there, they told us that was only for restaurant week. But that menu has been on their website for at least eight months cause that's when I first looked this place up. And it doesn't say restaurant week menu on the website. It just says dinner menu. We came out of our way to go to the east side to eat that specific menu. Their actual menu is much smaller and was very disappointing. Finally, The service was not great. We waited a while for someone to come to our table and then once they took our order, we basically never saw them again. We had to track someone down to get our check. Which is ridiculous because we were one of only two tables. The food was good, but it's not worth the price.

    Crying tiger
    Joyce Y.

    The ambience is great, the jazz is great, the lychee beer and tako wasabi is great...but the crying tiger steak is terrible. I ordered a medium rare and received a rare steak, the nam jim jeaw was straight-up just too sweet, the steak was filled with so many inedible fatty parts, and the kicker is that the website lists it as $32 but the QR code menu lists it as $45. I assumed the QR code would just lead to the website so I ended up thinking it was $13 less than it actually was and overpaid for a very disappointing meal. No Work Allowed needs to fix this admin issue to refrain from misleading customers.

    Mary L.

    Great spot for a cocktail and live music. The group we saw were freaking amazing! Get there early it gets packed!

    Rina D.

    Food is just ok but the vibes are definitely here! Given that the space is pretty tight/small, make sure to go early so you can decide how close to the performers you want to be. Service is definitely slow as they cater to many tables and get really busy. Took multiple asks to just get some napkins. It does get pretty loud so it will be hard to talk here. Just come here to enjoy the vibes!

    George C.

    Right on East 53rd St, this place is a great addition to "restaurant row" here. It's a Thai-Japanese fusion Izakaya and the food is solid. How it works - we came on a Friday and it seemed like people ate in waves. That's because they have live jazz (there was a saxophonist, bassist and pianist when we went), and they play in 45-60 minute sets. There's a minimum spend of $15 per person for each set. But that includes food or drinks. So you can spend the whole night here if you want by getting one drink per set. Not bad at all. Food is solid as well. We really enjoyed the flavors of everything, especially the scallops and the noodles. Some dishes have a nice southeast Asian flare to them, like the noodles which were slightly spicy. The only thing that was a little too salty was the grilled mackerel (or whatever fish it was). We left after 1 set but will come back again

    Inside jazz
    Emily H.

    New basement jazz bar in Midtown East. Very cute and cozy vibes inside. Perfect for our girls night. Loved the music too. There was basically no line when we went at 7:30pm on a Friday night (unlike its neighbor Tomi Jazz). We were let in to the bar immediately and then got seated shortly after, within 15-20 minutes I'd say. Honestly felt like I got the Tomi Jazz experience from here lol. Their drinks were sooo good. We got the Ume Yuzu and Thai Teani, and both drinks were delicious. We also got the bone-in Karage, truffle fries, crying tiger, and mentaiko pasta. Food was good, a little pricey and small portions. I liked the crying tiger the most. Definitely better for their drinks. However, their service is horribly slow. We asked 3 times for ketchup and they still didn't give it to us, until I had to very aggressively requested the waitress to get us ketchup the last 4th time. They also took forever to give us our check, we had to ask for the check 3 times too. The inside is small and cute, but it's freezing. They definitely need more heaters. Overall, food & drinks & vibes & music were great! We all had a great time. But service definitely needs improvement.

    Kelsey A.

    What an adorable, charming, intimate jazz bar. There are a few tables and bar seats, then the band. It's dimly lit and perfect for a date night or a fun girls night. The band was wonderful, and the Japanese menu was a charming contrast.

    Cool interior ambiance
    Sophie C.

    Got lost and stumbled across here-- very glad we found it! You have to walk down a flight of stairs, so it can be easy to miss from the street. We did not have a reservation, but we came early on a Monday night. They have an interesting menu and I definitely would like to come back to try more. They have a $15/person minimum and a ~75 min maximum on Fridays and Saturdays. Their fried squid with salted egg dip was absolutely delicious. Their salmon curry pasta was also scrumptious, and a little spicy. They are very attentive with their service, but respectful to not interrupt the jazz trio. Super cool spot and go to the restroom for a surprise...

    Ume Yuzu

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    7 months ago

    Such a nice jazz bar. Kind and attentive bartender and amazing vibes. Good music. 1 drink cover.

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    1 year ago

    Really mid food and cocktails for the price... felt sad on the inside in a way... jazz was good

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    2 years ago

    Adorable place with little to no wait time for a table!! The staff were friendly and the live music was excellent!

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    2 years ago

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    Mitr Thai - Short Rib Prik Kang (~$37)

    Mitr Thai

    4.6(922 reviews)
    0.7 mi•Midtown West

    This is an excellent restaurant to go to for Thai cuisine. We went after watching a Broadway show…read more And made reservations for 4 people for 9pm. We were seated promptly , then given our customary beverage orders (Thai iced tea, of course). And while mulling over the menu with excellent choices , our server Salina suggested certain items for dinner. Her recommendations were spot on. We tried the papaya salad, soft shell crab, deboned duck, crispy pork with noodles. And the crispy branzino... everything was devoured quickly!! The dishes were full of flavor, but some were lacking in spiciness(our request really since we had a friend who could not tolerate spices). The post-meal dessert was very good as well. We had a wonderful time dining, and the service was top-notch. Thanks, Salina...!!!

    I came with few coworkers for Friday lunch. The place was packed, we initially got a 10 minute wait…read moretime but they got us a table within couple of minutes. The interior was super nice, with very nice decors hung all around the restaurant. They had two floors, especially second floor was massive, so they were able to sit a lot guests. They had the both regular, lunch special and drinks menu. I ordered the crab fried rice dish from lunch menu. It came with a salad bowl. The salad just had lettuce and cherry tomatoes, mixed with some delicious dressing. The crab fried rice came with some cucumbers and two sauces. The sauces had such spicy kick, they enhanced the flavor of the rice and crab so much. They were excellent dipping sauce for the cucumbers too. Just loved the whole dish. Being lunch special, the portion was small, so I was sad when the plate was empty but I was still craving for more. For $32, I feel they could have served a bit more. But other lunch menu dishes were mostly around $18. The service was excellent. Several staff members constantly walked around the floor like Marshals, takings ordering, serving dishes, refilling water, taking out empty dishes, and doing checkouts right on the spot. After guests left, they were turning over the empty tables super quickly. No wonder we a table in such short time. Since it's so close to my work place, I'll be back here soon for sure to try other dishes.

    Photos
    Mitr Thai - Main Dining Room

    Main Dining Room

    Mitr Thai - Short Rib Prik Kang

    Short Rib Prik Kang

    Mitr Thai - Crab Fried Rice (~$32)

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    Crab Fried Rice (~$32)

    Dagg Thai Restaurant - Pad Thai with beef

    Dagg Thai Restaurant

    4.4(163 reviews)
    0.8 mi•Midtown East
    •$$$

    I haven't been here for dinner but for a quick lunch this place is the best!…read more Slightly elevated lunch experience and a little on the pricy side but the quality is great. Everything tastes really fresh, veggies are always perfect, and their tofu is outstanding, so flavorful. The space is beautiful and I'd love to come back for dinner sometime but I'm just not in this area often for dinner. Service is also warm and friendly, super welcoming. Love the pad see ew but honestly every dish I've tried has been great.

    A favorite of coworkers who hit this for lunch, popped in for a dinner celebration…read more The decor is simple and clean, liked that - seated at a table that was a little on the small side (one guy had a stool that had no back but at least was against the wall) - on a Monday night at 9p they were still busy but fit our group of six in. They had a very respectable pad see ew beef - sweet and savory, good amount of egg, a little stronger bitter broccoli but otherwise a good dish, good quantity to fill you up even though in the bowl it seemed smaller than it actually was with the rice noodle cooked well. The steamed sea bass with garlic and lime (Pla Neueng Manow) had beautifully cooked sea bass with a very nice spicy/sour/savory green garlic sauce which I'll have to try again. The fried version is supposedly very good, too, and the one person that always gets the basil fried rice had a wonderful aroma that we'll have to try again later. Mango sticky rice was a tasty dessert (although we probably didn't need the 3 orders they recommended for our table of 6), though usually like I like the purple rice version better, and came with a very cute shovel spoon. They gave a free birthday dessert of caramel delight which was ok, crumbly and sweet (I'm not a caramel fan but others liked it). Overall, good experience and solid food - while not the best Thai I've ever had, this certainly is a keeper for the Midtown East area. Will come again soon to try the lunch specials! Service was a little slow due to how busy they were, but do appreciate the birthday candle for the birthday friend!

    Photos
    Dagg Thai Restaurant - Upstairs

    Upstairs

    Dagg Thai Restaurant - Green curry

    Green curry

    Dagg Thai Restaurant - Our appetizers were delicious.

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    Our appetizers were delicious.

    Charoen Krung Thai - Drunken Noodle

    Charoen Krung Thai

    4.7(456 reviews)
    0.1 mi•Midtown East
    •$$

    If you've ever needed a recommendation for amazing #ThaiCuisine in NYC, here's mine of…read more @charoenkrung_nyc Charoen Krung Thai Restaurant & Bar is one of the closest things to taking a trip to #Thailand without needing a passport or plane ticket! A quick ride on the LIRR or E Train will have you enjoying some of the best Thai food NYC has to offer. For me it all started with their Shrimp Croquettes that were fried to perfection and packed with flavor, then it was the Crispy Pork Belly, and for a second, I had to ask myself, am I in the Dominican Republic?! The crunch, seasoning, and flavor in every bite let me know immediately that they understood the crispy pork belly assignment! Let's not forget the cocktails! Each drink paired beautifully with the appetizers and dishes throughout our dining experience. Now, let's talk about the entrées. Their menu ranges from specialty seafood dishes to authentic, modern Thai cuisine. As a seafood lover, I especially appreciated the generous amount of Lump Crab meat in the Southern Crab Curry. The flavor was rich, comforting, and absolutely worth ordering. But the unexpected STAR of the night was the #TaroCustard! Who knew that the "everything bagel energy" could transfer so effortlessly into a dessert?! It was those crispy fried shallots that did it for me! If you're a true #Foodie, you already know sometimes it's that unexpected flavor assist/combination that creates pure magic on your tongue. I've had some great Thai Food Experiences in NYC but Charoen Krung Restaurant & Bar has now entered the chat as my new found favorite! The next time you're in New York City searching for exceptional Thai food, make sure to check out @charoenkrung_nyc. A true jewel of Thai cuisine in New York City! #FoodReview

    Honestly one of my favorite parts of this night was the drinks. The chrysanthemum drink tasted…read moremostly like tea with just a little bit of alcohol, such a great balanced cocktail. The coconut one was so delicious and one of my favorites that night The food was just as good. Our waiter recommended the three flavors branzino and it was so fresh and the sweet, tangy, sour and slightly spicy sauce on top was delicious. The ghang phed duck is one of their signatures and the duck was slightly dry but the curry sauce was so savory and flavorful I would order it again just for that. We also got the papaya salad because gotta have your greens For dessert we got the mango sorbet from the summer menu and it was great, just sad we couldn't get the mango sticky rice since it is completely out of season now but loved the mix of the blue sticky rice & mango sorbet together! I came here after two weeks in Europe craving Thai food and this hit the spot!! It is also ranked #35 on Yelp's 2026 Top 100 Places to Eat in the US.

    Photos
    Charoen Krung Thai - Bar by entry

    Bar by entry

    Charoen Krung Thai - Summer Rolls (Pork&Shrimp)

    Summer Rolls (Pork&Shrimp)

    Charoen Krung Thai - Tub Tim Mocktail

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    Tub Tim Mocktail

    Thai Villa

    Thai Villa

    4.4(5.3k reviews)
    1.7 mi•Flatiron
    •$$

    Came here to celebrate a birthday and had a really nice time! The place is beautiful and has such a…read moregreat atmosphere. We loved the curries, and the virgin drinks were really good too. It does get pretty busy, so I definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time. Overall, great food, beautiful ambiance, and a perfect spot for a birthday or special occasion. Would definitely come back!

    Wow! The food was amazing. I was shocked at how there were many items on the menu that you would…read morenot normally find in a typical Thai menu. Of course, we opted to try things that were out of the "norm". We started with the Khun Pan Pld Fashioned (which is old fashion with a Thai tea twist), of course, Thai iced tea, soft shell crab larb (omg so mouth watering) and the Pla Muk Tod (Fried Tumeric Coconut Calamari). These were new on the summer menu and I hope they stay! The dipping sauce in the calamari was sweet, tangy and syrupy with some heat but not too sweet. It was good without the sauce but with it, made it even better. The soft shell crab larb, wow, blew us away. The crunch and heat factor with the basil "salad" was out of this world. It is definitely spicy but is soo tasty. From their "privileged" menu, we had the duck chu chee which is a crispy roasted duck in a creamy mildly spicy red curry - the duck and curry was soo bomb, super crispy and stands out from other places. Finally the Royal Thai Spiced Lamb which is grilled lamb chops with karee curry sauce, snow pea tips and roti, sooo flavorful and so good. The veggies and the lamb paired so well with the curry sauce. It was not gamey or chewy but after all the appetizers I could not finish this dish. For dessert, we did try the Khao Neaw Puak which is a taro sticky rice with coconut ice cream. Again different but I think I will pass on this next time. We loved the food and will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Thai Villa - Inside of restaurant

    Inside of restaurant

    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(624 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Flatiron, Midtown East
    •$$$

    The first thing you'll notice is how beautiful the space is. Gorgeous interiors, a warm atmosphere,…read moreand genuinely friendly hosts made for a great first impression. We started with the curry puffs and satay buns, both of which were easy wins. No complaints, I would happily order them again. The Khao Soi was the highlight of my meal. Rich, comforting, and packed with flavor. I love when restaurants get this right. They also do super thin noodles in the khao soi which is a plus for me. I also tried a little bit of the crab fried rice which was also incredible. I also ordered the lychee mocktail. The drink itself was fairly average, but it came with a lychee mochi that completely stole the show. I honestly enjoyed the mochi more than the drink itself. Overall, this is just good, no-nonsense Thai food. Nothing feels overly gimmicky. The restaurant focuses on solid flavors, a beautiful space, and warm hospitality. I'd happily come back to work my way through more of the menu.

    It was very easy to make a reservation. The ambiance and decor were so romantic and cozy. We…read morestarted off with the drinks. I ordered a delicious lychee Martini. For appetizers, we ordered the Sate, curry puff, chicken dumpling and shrimps. Everything was on point. The main course was the shrimp dish, chicken and tofu panang was our favorite. The fried rice and pad tai were just about okay. We ended the night with free celebration dessert my loved ones birthday celebration

    Photos
    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(117 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Flatiron
    •$$$

    Everything about this place was beautiful. My friend and I stumbled upon this restaurant since both…read moreof us love Thai food and she's never tried more of the authentic dishes. I happily introduced her to my two favorite go tos: the crab fried rice and the steamed branzino. The crab fried rice was nothing like I was used to. Even at some of the other notable Thai restaurants I've been to, their crab fried rice presentation was basic compared to this one. The egg on this fried rice was soft and melty the soon it touches your tongue, and we didn't even have to chew it. It melted perfectly with the buttery crab and the rice was so warm and soft. It was a sizable portion but it didn't take us long to gobble it all down. Then came the steamed branzino. The presentation here I want to say is so unique that it blew me away. The fish was cut so that the head and tail of the fish was chopped off (a little disappointed but glad it was clean cut), the fish was so soft you would question if it was even fish...the soup was lightly seasoned with chili and lime and it wasn't super overpoweringly spicy that you can still taste the fish flavor. Everything was delicious and they even had a pre fixe menu that I will definitely come back and try again! My drink I ordered was also very creative and a mix of strong bourbon with the creaminess of Thai tea. Very interesting combination but I don't hate it! It was strong and welcoming and I want to try the other drinks when I come back as well. As pictured, the drink menu is beautiful and our server came back and forth to make sure everything was okay. We actually stayed past closing hours but they weren't rushing us (which was very hospitable of them)

    I came here for restaurant week 2026 for dinner because I was craving fried soft shell crab and…read morethey had it on their menu. From the second we entered until we left, service was great. They were conscious of always keeping my water filled (I was very thirsty) and the timing of the courses was great. We weren't left sitting waiting for long for the next course but we also didn't feel rushed. The portions were large and I think it was a good deal for restaurant week. My friend ordered the pork chop for his entree and it came with two large chops. Good to take back as leftovers.

    Photos
    KRAAM Thai - Environment

    Environment

    KRAAM Thai - Moo Palo

    Moo Palo

    KRAAM Thai - Environment

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    Environment

    No Work Allowed - bars - Updated October 2026

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