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**CASH ONLY** Walked in at 6:45 pm on a Saturday night and there was no wait, but it filled up quickly. My boyfriend and I shared: + Spicy salad of curried rice croquettes, preserved pork + Small tom yum soup + Massamun curry with chicken The soup was my favorite. Spicy salad was also good. Curry was meh. I think you can do better in the borough - I prefer Hug Esan's crispy rice salad, and Tuk Tuk's massaman curry. Also the prices are not really ~cash only prices lol.
We tipped them $20 on $105 for only 2 people. But, when I asked for extra sauce they said we need to pay $2. I should have just tipped them 15% so that we have enough cash left to buy that sauce. Never again!! I am so pissed.
Staff is super friendly and attentive. You got a lot of options to pick from the menu. I went with the crispy duck salad, Tom kha Gai and the drunken noodles aka pad kee mao.. I ordered medium spicy, which ended up being a perfect level for me. Medium level can be spicier than average, but this is a legit Thai restaurant and the flavors were amazing. I enjoyed everything, especially the crispy duck which was indeed crispy and flavorful.
Walk in for a group is accepted. They were accommodating even though not everyone in the group arrived yet. It started to get a little busy during dinner time. I like the duck dish as it was crispy and flavorful. I took a star off because it was cash only and I couldn't tell the ginger from the onions because of the ambience.
**CASH ONLY!!** I don't know if it was the random Thursday night we were out or if 5:30pm is the time for everyone in Jackson Heights to go to get cash, but it was a headache to get cash. Thus, my recommendation is to have cash BEFORE you come to Jackson Heights. There is a Bank of America ATM IN the station near the 74th Street exit and a Chase ATM on 75th Street outside the station. Both lines were long. I first stopped by to check out the wait time at 5:20, and it was pretty empty. I then went to grab cash. By the time my friend and I got cash, it was closer to 6pm, and we snagged the last table in the restaurant. My friend got a small tom yum soup ($8) and I got massamun curry with chicken ($16). There was a lot of raw cilantro in my friend's soup, and that was not to her taste. For me, the curry was less sweet than I am used to. I asked for mild spiciness, since other reviews mentioned authentic spice levels, and I had no issues with the spice level. The curry just reminded me more of a red curry than a massamun curry. For a place that is cash only, the prices are on the higher side. Since this is a similar price point to the Thai places in Woodside, I would prefer to go to those over this one, since they have larger spaces and are not cash only. Service here was fantastic! There were so many check-backs, everyone who helped us was extremely welcoming and friendly, and our waters were constantly refilled. They also did not pressure us in any way to leave, and kept offering to refill our water. Overall, the food was still good, so if you have cash and are in the area, it is definitely worth stopping by!
Updating my review to 5 stars because: -this is definitely the best Thai restaurant I've been to in terms of food, not ambiance. -I end up comparing every other Thai restaurant to this establishment. -Playground really set the bar in terms of spice and flavor for me. -I've been coming here for years and the food is always consistent. Yup, it's final. My favorite for Thai.
Came here to hang out with friends and to have an amazing time. We had great time. The food in here is tasty. We had: crispy pork skin, shrimp salad (raw), papaya salad, tom yum soup, thai ice tea, fried chicken, pork tender, and other dishes What I didn't like was their dessert which was the shaken ice. It was horrendous. Everything else was alright : )
Been visiting this restaurant since it opened years ago. Authentic Thai food served in a cozy atmosphere. They are not afraid to up the spice levels of their dishes either. Things to order: go for their special thai dishes. Their spicy catfish with thai eggplant is very good. The fried catfish takes up the spicy chillisauce very well and the round thai eggplants are also crunchy and give the dish a nice mixed texture. The Rad Nah, a saucy stir fried flat noodle is also wonderful. Excellent carb dish to chase down the heat from other spicy foods you might order. A good one and done dish for those dining alone. Their thai papaya said is is crunchy, tangy sweet and sour. They do a good job with the fish sauce seasoning on it. A dish I also recommend is their braised pork leg over rice dish. It comes with Chinese broccilli, marinated egg and spicy fish sauce on the side. It's a good one plate meal of you are not looking to order too much. I am also a fan of their chicken wing appetizers. The wings are plump and juicy. Food is affordable and worth the price of tasteless and authenticity. Note that rice comes separate for most orders. They also cna provide chopsticks if you ask for them. Service is always nice and the staff are always courteous. Space is rather limited. If you plan on coming as a group I would recommend to keep it around 4 people. Any more, and it will be tight. Also check out upstairs. They have a thai hot pot place that is also full of unique thai soup flavor. I believe both establishments are by thr same owner.
This tiny Thai restaurant in Woodside checks vaccination cards. I'm glad because not all restaurants are participating. Kudos to Playground Bar & Bistro! Whenever I'm in the mood, this is my go-to for some unique SEA menu items. The last time I was here I ate sautéed veggies with some kind of insect also eaten by some Filipinos. This time, the bold choice was a tame one, steamed squid eggs that was served in salad. Yum! The rest are usual Thai faves such as this amazing smoky pad Thai with crispy pork and shrimp, Issan Thai skewers of chicken liver and gizzards, grilled pork and tendon soup. One note to self though is to order mild spicy next time because their medium spice level is volcanic level ! My poor, poor tongue was in flames. The ice dessert that ended the meal was so comforting after that capsaicin assault . When I dined, there were a party of good looking tennis players who I overheard are participating in #usopen2021 ! Yes, the world is moving on. US Open soon ! #curious_eater #thaifood #spicyfood #coviddiningnyc #
Thai place really caught our eye one day when we dined next door and saw how packed it was. We decided we definitely needed to give it a try and came back a week later. Prices are very reasonable-make sure to bring cash as it's cash only. Happy hour from 3pm to 9pm. Beers are $4, cocktails $7, bottles of wine $24 We actually frequent a very popular Thai spot in woodside where we actually think the quality has gone down over the years but it's still good. We also frequent another northern Thai spot on woodside avenue that we like a lot as well. My husband said hands down this place beats both those places in quality, price and taste. There is more variety to pick from as well. He loved the tom yum soup be warned! When they ask you how spicy you want the dishes or soups, make sure you know your spice tolerance. My husband insisted he was ok with medium even after the waitress warned us that medium here is much spicier than other Thai restaurants. Needless to say, put mouths were burning after the first soup dish. Out of all the dishes, the squid was our least favorite. Definitely will not be ordering it again. The taste was just little bland. The pad Cha fish has a very unique flavor and the fish was fried perfectly. We thought the fresh peppercorn addition was interesting and enjoyed trying it. The morning glory had an addition of yellow beans that had a taste very similar to fermented tofu. We asked to add crispy pork but next time we will skip that. Crab fried rice got two thumbs up. All in all, this hidden gem is delicious and we highly recommend it if you love Thai food.
I love thai food and this place is one of the top Thai places in queens! I've been here many times, usually after 10pm! Thankfully they close around 11:45. I love spice and I love that this place ACTUALLY makes it spicy. So, be careful if you ask for spice because 5/5 is an actual 5/5 Thai spice. The parang curry and the beef with long green beans actually tasted very similar, except Panang curry was saltier. The place is pretty small but gets packed! Will be back~
I can't stress enough that this is one of the best Thai restaurants. Every time I come, try new dishes and none of them fails me. Service has been always good and awesome. Please please please check this one out, if you haven't. Thank me later.
Service great Huge menu Cash only Food - spice level. Whatever spice you like take it down one level. They bring the heat here. We ordered a 3 and spent the meal tearing. Would get mostly 2 level spice and a 1-2 dishes 3. best: Pad khing with shrimp. Perfectly cooked shrimp and the spices were fantastic Tom yuk pok tak seafood - lemongrass gave it a light refreshing taste. Spice kicked you in the teeth. Good flavor combo sukiyaki: very well done. But covered in sesame Crab papaya salad was good Highly recommend! read more
Been wanting to try this spot in the Jackson heights area. Something to keep in mind is that it's cash only, so be prepared. They have a big menu with lots of dishes which was nice. The servers are efficient and quick with everything. There's not too much seating inside so definitely recommend visiting on off peak meal hours. A little bit hard to find the entrance as there's multiple restaurants immediately next to it so it was a bit confusing at first. read more
**CASH ONLY** Walked in at 6:45 pm on a Saturday night and there was no wait, but it filled up quickly. My boyfriend and I shared: + Spicy salad of curried rice croquettes, preserved pork + Small tom yum soup + Massamun curry with chicken The soup was my favorite. Spicy salad was also good. Curry was meh. I think you can do better in the borough - I prefer Hug Esan's crispy rice salad, and Tuk Tuk's massaman curry. Also the prices are not really ~cash only prices lol. read more
4 months ago
We tipped them $20 on $105 for only 2 people. But, when I asked for extra sauce they said we need to pay $2. I should have just tipped them 15% so that we have enough cash left to buy that sauce. Never again!! I am so pissed. read more
11 months ago
Staff is super friendly and attentive. You got a lot of options to pick from the menu. I went with the crispy duck salad, Tom kha Gai and the drunken noodles aka pad kee mao.. I ordered medium spicy, which ended up being a perfect level for me. Medium level can be spicier than average, but this is a legit Thai restaurant and the flavors were amazing. I enjoyed everything, especially the crispy duck which was indeed crispy and flavorful. read more
1 year ago
Walk in for a group is accepted. They were accommodating even though not everyone in the group arrived yet. It started to get a little busy during dinner time. I like the duck dish as it was crispy and flavorful. I took a star off because it was cash only and I couldn't tell the ginger from the onions because of the ambience. read more
**CASH ONLY!!** I don't know if it was the random Thursday night we were out or if 5:30pm is the time for everyone in Jackson Heights to go to get cash, but it was a headache to get cash. Thus, my recommendation is to have cash BEFORE you come to Jackson Heights. There is a Bank of America ATM IN the station near the 74th Street exit and a Chase ATM on 75th Street outside the station. Both lines were long. I first stopped by to check out the wait time at 5:20, and it was pretty empty. I then went to grab cash. By the time my friend and I got cash, it was closer to 6pm, and we snagged the last table in the restaurant. My friend got a small tom yum soup ($8) and I got massamun curry with chicken ($16). There was a lot of raw cilantro in my friend's soup, and that was not to her taste. For me, the curry was less sweet than I am used to. I asked for mild spiciness, since other reviews mentioned authentic spice levels, and I had no issues with the spice level. The curry just reminded me more of a red curry than a massamun curry. For a place that is cash only, the prices are on the higher side. Since this is a similar price point to the Thai places in Woodside, I would prefer to go to those over this one, since they have larger spaces and are not cash only. Service here was fantastic! There were so many check-backs, everyone who helped us was extremely welcoming and friendly, and our waters were constantly refilled. They also did not pressure us in any way to leave, and kept offering to refill our water. Overall, the food was still good, so if you have cash and are in the area, it is definitely worth stopping by! read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
My colleague is keep saying to me to go try- we went today. Foods is great also prize is reasonable price, and the good portions. We will go back again. read more
Updating my review to 5 stars because: -this is definitely the best Thai restaurant I've been to in terms of food, not ambiance. -I end up comparing every other Thai restaurant to this establishment. -Playground really set the bar in terms of spice and flavor for me. -I've been coming here for years and the food is always consistent. Yup, it's final. My favorite for Thai. read more
Came here to hang out with friends and to have an amazing time. We had great time. The food in here is tasty. We had: crispy pork skin, shrimp salad (raw), papaya salad, tom yum soup, thai ice tea, fried chicken, pork tender, and other dishes What I didn't like was their dessert which was the shaken ice. It was horrendous. Everything else was alright : ) read more
3 years ago
Been visiting this restaurant since it opened years ago. Authentic Thai food served in a cozy atmosphere. They are not afraid to up the spice levels of their dishes either. Things to order: go for their special thai dishes. Their spicy catfish with thai eggplant is very good. The fried catfish takes up the spicy chillisauce very well and the round thai eggplants are also crunchy and give the dish a nice mixed texture. The Rad Nah, a saucy stir fried flat noodle is also wonderful. Excellent carb dish to chase down the heat from other spicy foods you might order. A good one and done dish for those dining alone. Their thai papaya said is is crunchy, tangy sweet and sour. They do a good job with the fish sauce seasoning on it. A dish I also recommend is their braised pork leg over rice dish. It comes with Chinese broccilli, marinated egg and spicy fish sauce on the side. It's a good one plate meal of you are not looking to order too much. I am also a fan of their chicken wing appetizers. The wings are plump and juicy. Food is affordable and worth the price of tasteless and authenticity. Note that rice comes separate for most orders. They also cna provide chopsticks if you ask for them. Service is always nice and the staff are always courteous. Space is rather limited. If you plan on coming as a group I would recommend to keep it around 4 people. Any more, and it will be tight. Also check out upstairs. They have a thai hot pot place that is also full of unique thai soup flavor. I believe both establishments are by thr same owner. read more
5 years ago
This tiny Thai restaurant in Woodside checks vaccination cards. I'm glad because not all restaurants are participating. Kudos to Playground Bar & Bistro! Whenever I'm in the mood, this is my go-to for some unique SEA menu items. The last time I was here I ate sautéed veggies with some kind of insect also eaten by some Filipinos. This time, the bold choice was a tame one, steamed squid eggs that was served in salad. Yum! The rest are usual Thai faves such as this amazing smoky pad Thai with crispy pork and shrimp, Issan Thai skewers of chicken liver and gizzards, grilled pork and tendon soup. One note to self though is to order mild spicy next time because their medium spice level is volcanic level ! My poor, poor tongue was in flames. The ice dessert that ended the meal was so comforting after that capsaicin assault . When I dined, there were a party of good looking tennis players who I overheard are participating in #usopen2021 ! Yes, the world is moving on. US Open soon ! #curious_eater #thaifood #spicyfood #coviddiningnyc # read more
Thai place really caught our eye one day when we dined next door and saw how packed it was. We decided we definitely needed to give it a try and came back a week later. Prices are very reasonable-make sure to bring cash as it's cash only. Happy hour from 3pm to 9pm. Beers are $4, cocktails $7, bottles of wine $24 We actually frequent a very popular Thai spot in woodside where we actually think the quality has gone down over the years but it's still good. We also frequent another northern Thai spot on woodside avenue that we like a lot as well. My husband said hands down this place beats both those places in quality, price and taste. There is more variety to pick from as well. He loved the tom yum soup be warned! When they ask you how spicy you want the dishes or soups, make sure you know your spice tolerance. My husband insisted he was ok with medium even after the waitress warned us that medium here is much spicier than other Thai restaurants. Needless to say, put mouths were burning after the first soup dish. Out of all the dishes, the squid was our least favorite. Definitely will not be ordering it again. The taste was just little bland. The pad Cha fish has a very unique flavor and the fish was fried perfectly. We thought the fresh peppercorn addition was interesting and enjoyed trying it. The morning glory had an addition of yellow beans that had a taste very similar to fermented tofu. We asked to add crispy pork but next time we will skip that. Crab fried rice got two thumbs up. All in all, this hidden gem is delicious and we highly recommend it if you love Thai food. read more
I love thai food and this place is one of the top Thai places in queens! I've been here many times, usually after 10pm! Thankfully they close around 11:45. I love spice and I love that this place ACTUALLY makes it spicy. So, be careful if you ask for spice because 5/5 is an actual 5/5 Thai spice. The parang curry and the beef with long green beans actually tasted very similar, except Panang curry was saltier. The place is pretty small but gets packed! Will be back~ read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
I can't stress enough that this is one of the best Thai restaurants. Every time I come, try new dishes and none of them fails me. Service has been always good and awesome. Please please please check this one out, if you haven't. Thank me later. read more
Five stars because this place is just incredible. The best bang for your buck given the portion size and food price. Some items have a bit of thai mixed with chinese influence, very interesting. I would recommend the crispy pork in picture below, as well as any noodles they got. The broth is incredible. Altho I should caution you that the bowl is so big you can probably put your head in it. So do not over order! read more
I love how attentive the servers are and most importantly how authentically delicious the food is! The coconut smoothie is the best absolutely best I get it every time I am there! It's a hidden spot for me but this place deserves the all the exposure ! read more
3 years ago
Thankful to have been turned away from 2 other restaurants that closed early before stumbling upon this absolute gem. I will always come back if I can. My host was so kind, respectful and accommodating. The entire staff was friendly and had warm energy towards me. If I thought the service was amazing, then the food was out of this world. The Tom Kha was the perfect spice level. I chose Level 3 which was incredible. I could taste the freshness of the ingredients including the lime and Thai chilis. I loved it. They also used huge, juicy shrimp and real squid, not the fake stuff. The Crab & Pork noodle was so delicious. The noodles were authentic and perfectly cooked. The crab was fresh and plump. The sauce they used was slightly sweet and full of flavor. The host and I struck up a great conversation and she made me feel so well cared for. 10/10 all around! Thanks y'all! Texas Thai has nothing on y'all read more
4 years ago
Playground is my favorite Thai restaurant in my neighborhood. The staff is lovely and attentive. Everything I ate here so far is delicious. Be aware that level 5 spicy is very spicy! I recommend you start with level 3 even if you like very spicy food elsewhere. Go check it out. read more
I don't know why it took me so long to check this place out, but I am so glad that I finally did. It's INCREDIBLE. They have a great combination of conventional/traditional Thai favorites but also feature dishes that are different from any that I've ever experienced at other Thai restaurants (or in Thailand). I was particularly blown away by one of their noodle dishes that had roasted pork and crab meat. It was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my entire life. Our server (who was so kind and amazing) actually busted me talking to the empty bowl afterward. She asked if that's what I was doing, to which I responded, "Yes, yes I was. I was thanking it for being so delicious." The bbq pork was incredible as well. So flavorful and tender. I can't wait to return and to introduce all of my favorite people to this place. read more
3 years ago
The most authentic Thai food I tried in US. A bit spicy even for medium heat but sooo yummy . Servers are friendly too! We had a great time and dinner! Will surely visit again! read more
4 years ago
This has been my favorite Thai spot in NYC of all time, so much so that I almost didn't want to write this review so that I can keep this little gem all to myself. You know a Thai restaurant is truly authentic when the menu is so much more than just pad Thai and curry; or when not only is the staff but the customer base are mainly Thai. My go to items to order are the tum yum noodle soup, crab meat and roasted pork dried noodle, bbq beef/pork, and the steamed bread with Thai custard. I have taken dozens of friends and family to this spot over the years, and it is a consensus that Playground is the best Thai spot in town. read more
8 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
This place is clearly the real deal - the vibe feels a bit like a seedy nightclub, complete with a karaoke machine and songs playing in the background along the lines of Korean trot. We started with the fried taro and bamboo shoot salad. The fried taro was good, although not jaw-dropping. We were warned the bamboo shoot salad was not vegetarian (and in fact is doused with a strong fermented fish sauce) but went ahead anyway. It was a little too pungent for my palette, and very spicy, but i understand the appeal. Pairs well with a Singha. For a main, i had the Tom yum soup with tofu which was fragrant and delicious. I do regret ordering it spicy, as I was only able to get through about half the bowl. The pandan with toast was a perfect recovery from the spice profile of the meal, and in fact one of the best parts! read more
6 years ago
Don't come to this restaurant, I really warn you guys. Last and no more. So disappointed! If I can deduct or give zero star for this restaurant. I will do it definitely. I stay around this area with many of good Thai restaurants. This was one of my favorite but NOT ANYMORE!!!! BIG NO NO. We came here today and wanna try something new. It is one of famous Thai dishes in Thailand, it's PAD SAUTÉED EGG AND SQUID. what we ever had in Thailand or another Thai restaurant, it must be stir fired squid with marinated egg yolk. But they served us A SUPER WIERD SAUTÉED GROUND PORK WITH TINY BABY 3-4 PIECES OF CALAMARIS. The taste is so much different and BIG EWWWW We called waitress for this. The answer just was it says in menu comes with ground pork. EXCUSE ME!! THE NAME OF MENU AND MAIN INGREDIENTS IN YOUR MENU IS SQUID. BUT WHAT YOU SERVED US WAS A FULL PLATE OF GROUND-PORK WITH 3-4 PIECES OF SHIT BABY CALAMARIS ON SIDE OF PLATE. HOW DARE YOU CALL IT SAUTÉED SQUID!!! Your job is to make sure your customers understand what in the menu, especially if you change recipes or whatever from the original or authentic menu. Also to Thai people who knows well about Thai food, they don't read every single words in menu, because they trust you are Thai restaurants. You must serve Thai recipes. If not , a few words from your mouth are helpful for preventing any misunderstandings or mistakes. We tried a tiny bite with hope if it was good. We will take it. BUT THE TASTE IS SO WIERD, LIKE SHIT, GARBAGE. UNBELIEVABLE YOU SERVE IT TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. I will not never come here anymore and I will report you for this fraud service and cozen menu. YOU MAKE ME HAD A NIGHTMARE WITH THAI FOOD EVER!!! read more
3 years ago
This place was surprisingly good, and food was really cheap as well. The noodle was the star or the meal - all the meat go really well together. Crispy spare ribs were lil bit dry tho read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
Friday march 6, 8:30pm. Absolutely horrible customer service. We had a party of 5. Each of us ordered cocktails and beers. 3 appetizers and 3 main entrees with rice. There're 3-4 empty tables but Servers constantly rushing us if we finish. We couldn't have a good conversation. Total was $130. Already included 20% tip which is understandable. When we leave, the server called us out in the middle of road saying we didn't pay tip and told us not to leave. Diners are also looking at us. So embarrassing. Food is good. But horrible service. Not coming back. read more
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How was the spicyness level at this restaurant?
You can always modify how spicy you want it. If you're not thai they generally know what to put. But the waitresses will always ask you if you want mild.
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