Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Samsaen

    4.1 (36 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM

    Order Samsaen Takeout or Delivery

    Samsaen Photos

    Business Info

    SAMSAEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Samsaen

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Really amazing food and service! They had a beer special (buy 2 get 1 free) which was a great deal. Papaya salad was spicy and delicious. Will be back for sure

    Thai Fried Rice
    Vishnu G.

    I had the Thai fried rice here, which was just fine. The struggles I had with this place are with the limited vegetarian options on the dinner menu. They're totally unwilling to make any modifications or substitutions, so there are three dishes - train fried rice, pad see ew, and brussel sprouts - that can be made vegetarian (and the brussel sprouts are the sole vegan option). It's a bit strange, given that the lunch menu allows modifications to the same dishes. Kind of a mystifying policy. The fried rice I ended up ordering also didn't match expectations. The flavor was perfectly adequate, no different from your standard takeout spot. It didn't come with the "pink hue" advertised, which was the only element that could've made the dish unique. Too bad. Finally, the price made the meal really not worth it. After mandatory 20% tip and 3% credit card surcharge, the dish came to $27. Your favorite takeout spot will get you the same quality at half the price. Maybe the lunch menu is better, but I don't plan to find out for myself.

    Yingxin Y.

    This Midtown Thai spot looks unassuming from the outside, but the food is impressively refined and exceeded expectations in several dishes. The Jellyfish & Squid Ink Soup was a standout. It was my first time trying jellyfish, and its clean, crisp, bouncy texture worked beautifully with the naturally balanced sour-spicy broth. The lightly cured flavor profile made it one of the most memorable dishes of the night. The Roasted Bone Marrow was rich and aromatic, especially when paired with shrimp chips and sweet chili sauce. The flavor was great, though the sauce could feel heavy after a few bites, and one piece looked large but contained less marrow than expected. The Roasted Duck with Curry leaned classic, with fragrant red curry that balanced heat, spice, and coconut nicely. The duck seemed lightly fried before simmering, keeping the skin slightly crisp while the meat stayed tender. The Royal Stir-fried Prawns with Prawn Fat had impressive presentation with two huge prawns. The spicy garlic sauce coating the shells was flavorful but salty if eaten whole; the prawn meat alone was much better. The decorative prawn legs underneath were not edible, which caused a bit of confusion. For dessert, the Coconut Pudding was a simple but satisfying finish--creamy, fragrant, and reminiscent of mango sticky rice without the mango. Cocktails were light and refreshing. Lychee Lady offered a citrus-forward, gin-tonic profile, though the overfilled foam made the glass messy to handle. Pok Pok on the Rock delivered bold Thai flavors--shrimp paste, fish sauce, papaya, and passion fruit blended surprisingly well, with gentle heat and great balance. Overall, a pleasantly surprising Thai meal with a few exceptional dishes, thoughtful flavors, and a cozy Midtown setting.

    Tom Yum Hot Pot and Pad See Ew
    Stephen L.

    Good Thai food in a lively yet intimate environment. Pad See Ew with shrimp ($22) - Above average in quality/taste but I'd say nothing particularly special Tom Yum Hot Pot ($32) - Good seafood soup but a bit sour tasting for my liking. Also minor point, but it was actually a bit hard to scoop given the size of the spoon and shape of the pot Best part of this place is the environment as it is nicely decorated to be like a classy Thai train interior with dim lighting. The music was very upbeat but I actually found it to be a bit odd in the context of the otherwise intimate setting. Service was very good - staff are friendly, attentive, and didn't mind us staying a bit later to chat after the meal.

    Bar counter
    Marilu S.

    I went to Samsaen this past Thursday and ordered myself a Pad See Ew (stir fried broad noodles, Chinese broccoli, egg with sweet soy sauce).It was so so good! Packed with flavor and the service was attentive. I was in a bit of a hurry to get somewhere afterwards and the restaurant was able to accommodate me and bring me my dinner quickly which I greatly appreciated. It's such a cute restaurant, perfect for date night, solo dining, dining with friends. 10/10 Thai restaurant recommendation.

    Menu (07/2025)
    Matthew H.

    Came by Samsen shortly after it opened recently -- our party of 2 walked in around 6:30 and there were still plenty of tables to seat us immediately. The restaurant is pretty nicely decorated -- there's a "train station" theme with lots of ornate golden finishings -- and since it's new everything felt very clean and spacious. They were offering a happy hour special at the time (I'm not sure what times/days it's generally available), so we opted to do the combo of two appetisers and two entrées for $42. For our appetisers, we had the tom yum soup and the pork meatballs. Tom yum soup had a decent flavour but was too watery, and the pork meatballs were pretty meh -- not the most tender/juicy but had an OK flavour. For mains, we had the pad see ew with chicken and pad thai with chicken. The pad thai was pretty good, although the tomato/ketchup-y flavour was quite strong, and it tended to be a bit on the oilier/saltier saide. The chicken and shrimp tasted very yummy. Pad see ew was also not bad. The flat noodles were a very nice chewy-ness, and the light soy sauce flavour went well with the chicken and gai lan veggies. Service was prompt, although I have to say, our server was a bit too eager/in-our-face about it to the point of mild discomfort. Price point was great (portion sizes big enough to have leftovers), and it seems the regular menu is pretty fairly priced too -- not just the happy hour deal.

    Jumbo prawns (massive but only came with 2 and not much else on the plate was edible)
    Tansy W.

    The food wasn't bad but nothing to write home about, and the ambiance needed a little work. People were swatting at flies left and right and overall it felt a little cramped inside. The bathroom was a sauna as it had no AC and was similarly very cramped. Service needed a little work also - our water glasses were empty all night and even when I tried to flag people down for water, they forgot to come back (which was tough since some of the dishes we ordered were spicy). No liquor license yet but it looked like it was BYOB. The pad see ew with shrimp was good but we didn't have much luck with the other dishes. The cabbage was overcooked and wilted, and we were disappointed with the jumbo prawns which although good and giant, was basically just 2 shrimp with nothing else for $42 or something in that ballpark. I also wasn't a huge fan of the crispy pork. We may have just ordered the wrong dishes so may have to come back again to try some other offerings on the menu.

    menu "first-class lounge"
    Emily G.

    Delicious Thai food! The food quality and price are on par with other well-known Thai spots in the city. Ideal for a dinner date (2-3). There are 2 menus: one for "street food" and another for the fine dining/ Chef Oak's (elevated) creations. The pad thai with jumbo river prawn is a showstopper (see pic) in terms of looks and taste.

    Squid ink soup
    Sandy X.

    We came here on a Saturday night with a reservation and got seated pretty quickly. We got the curry puffs and squid ink soup as appetizers. The curry puff was flaky and delicious. The squid ink soup was an acquired taste. It was a bit too fishy for my taste. The appetizers came pretty fast but the entrees took a while to come. The Massaman curry was okay. The curry taste was pretty good and flavorful. However, the beef brisket was a bit overcooked. Overall, a decent place for thai food but it's relatively expensive.

    Pad See Ew
    Crystal K.

    Delicious Thai food in a cute cozy atmosphere. Lighting is dim with romantic decor and its the perfect spot for a date night or catch up with a friend. The staff here were all incredibly friendly and attentive! I ordered the Pad See Ew, and it was deliciously full of flavor and beautifully plated. Shared the Shitake spring rolls appetizer with my friend which came out hot. The sauce that it comes with paired perfectly well.

    Frank A.

    Interesting concept, but unfortunately much better Thai food in the area. The service and atmosphere are very good so I'm disappointed that the quality and taste of the food are not as good.

    Thai Eggplant Salad
    Cindy W.

    Wow!! This place was outstanding, and it is really hard to stand out amongst all the amazing Thai restaurants in the area. The restaurant is pretty spacious once you enter it. We went with the recommendation - fried crispy fish and the eggplant salad (don't be fooled by the name...ask about this one). Both portions were generous..and the flavors were spot on. Medium spice was the level we enjoyed both dishes at. Hopefully, they will start serving cocktails soon!

    Natthacha F.

    As a NYC foodie, I'm always picky about Thai food--especially close to busy areas like Madison Square Garden. Before heading to a hockey game, my designer friend quickly Googled and found Samsaen, and I'm so glad he did. We were in a rush, but from the moment we walked in, everything felt smooth and welcoming. Our waiter Oreo was incredibly friendly, warm, and knowledgeable. He suggested all the right dishes and made sure we were taken care of despite our tight schedule. We ordered the Northern Thai sausage, the stewed pork with rice (special menu), and the vermicelli crab in a clay pot--every single dish was absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavors, and beautifully presented. You can really taste the care and quality in the food. The restaurant itself is beautiful, cozy yet stylish, and the service was truly the best--efficient, attentive, and genuinely kind. Perfect spot for great Thai food before a game or show at MSG. I'll definitely be back, even when I'm not in a rush.

    See all

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 2
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 3
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tansy W.
    179
    1253
    7315

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Emily G.
    348
    1557
    2531

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Frank A.
    1451
    1378
    6764

    11 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Food was authentic and delicious. The staff were friendly and polite. The environment was amazing

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pia L.
    2
    20
    52

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nai S.
    15
    92
    184

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Sub-par Thai food and they illegally add a 3% charge when paying by credit card after showing the cash price.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon
    0
    2
    5

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Have been many times and the food and service is always excellent. Really good food recommendations by the waiters. Highly recommended.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Came by at lunchtime and server recommended a terrific eggplant salad. Great atmosphere and service too. Highly recommended.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pam G.
    0
    97
    4

    9 months ago

    Best pad Thai of my life. Served with a jumbo shrimp in the shell. Steady stream of customers for late lunch. Excellent service.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    Ask the Community - Samsaen

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Thai 71,907 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Crab House NYC

    Crab House NYC

    4.4
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$$$

    I think this is the only seafood restaurant I've ever been to that has a bidet, which definitely…read moregets bonus points. That said, I didn't come here for the bathroom. I came here to throw down on some seafood and that's exactly what we did. I found out about this place because one of my favorite TikTok foodies posted that she came here when she was visiting from Chicago. It was also my friend's birthday so we figured we'd check it out. If you come with a group of 4 or more, including the birthday person, they eat for free, which is a pretty nice perk. This place lived up to every bit of the hype. We did the $125 option which includes lobster. If you have people in your group who are on the fence about spending the extra money, just remind them it's only about $35 more and that's basically the cost of one lobster anywhere else. Here you're getting unlimited lobster. The food literally just kept coming. At one point we were running out of room on the table. One thing I really appreciated was that the staff noticed and started putting multiple items on the same plates instead of bringing everything out separately. It sounds small but it actually helped a lot and showed they were paying attention. The drinks weren't super strong but they definitely weren't weak either. If you love seafood, come hungry and bring a group. The vibes were great, the service was on point, and we left absolutely stuffed.

    I had a great experience here. There are so many food options to choose from, including lobster,…read moreshrimp, all kinds of crab legs, and even blue crabs. It's honestly a seafood lover's dream. I highly recommend coming with a large group so you can try a bit of everything. They also offer an option to pay an extra $45 to take your leftovers home, which is absolutely worth it. I ended up with so much food that my fridge is still full. The service was impeccable from start to finish. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. I would definitely come back and highly recommend this place to others.

    Photos
    First dining room when you walk in, more space down the stairs farther in
    First dining room when you walk in, more space down the stairs farther in
    Cajun butter shrimp
    Cajun butter shrimp
    Salt & Pepper Fried Lobsters

    See all

    Salt & Pepper Fried Lobsters
    Valerie

    Valerie

    4.3
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Came for Brunch on a Sunday . Great food (try the shrimp &…read moreGrits- different but really good). Live music is fabulous (Danny Lipsitz) and the drinks are perfect. Of all the places to go In New York, Glad we stopped here . The attentive service (Bar and Restaurant) made the experience even better. Great job Valerie's !!

    Came here for a slightly early dinner after a Broadway show with a party of 4 on a Sunday evening…read more We had a reservation, but it didn't seem like we would have needed one, but I suppose better safe than sorry. The ambiance feels straight of the golden age, which is an aesthetic I'm certainly a sucker for. Even their robust cocktail menu fits the bill and is one of the prettiest menus I've ever had the joy of perusing. Staff was able to sit us a little bit ahead of our reservation which was also much appreciated. Wait staff was also very helpful and attentive, I don't think I've ever had my water glass so topped off! Starting off with cocktails, this place is a gin bar through and through and you'd be making a mistake if you didn't try one of their many options. I went with the 10,000 words, which you simply just give a spirit of your choice (I picked gin of course) and whether you antes) wanted your drink shaken or stirred and the bartender does the rest, so a bit of a surprise! I wound up with their version of The Last Word which was delightfully citrusy but I was hoping I'd wind up with something a little more adventurous app things considered. My girlfriend got the blackberry G&T, which was not only very pleasing to look at but delicious to boot. For food, we started with splitting some zucchini blossoms and beef cheek bao buns (both come in portions of 3). Both were tasty, but I love a good bao bun and these were so light and pillowy, I could have just went for an order of those for my main course. For the entree I went for the roasted half chicken, perhaps the most unassuming choice on the menu but this was maybe the best roast chicken I've ever had. Prepared perfectly, cooked to perfection, excellent portion size, and the kicker of it all was the stunning gravy that I was tempted to lick my plate for. Chicken is very easy to screw up, and they nailed it on all fronts here. My girlfriend went for the Valerie Signature burger with white cheddar and this thing did not mess around! A very rich patty, cooked to her temperature of choice served alongside some garlic truffle fries that made an American classic feel just a little more elevated. Our experience was delightful and I'd love to comeback here again, especially to check out more of the cocktail menu and soak in more of that golden age aura the place gives.

    Photos
    Valerie
    Valerie
    Valerie

    See all

    Oceana

    Oceana

    3.8
    (755 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$$

    Deal dujour. World Cup lunch special Two courses $29 with wine or beer $5…read more Now this was my first time here, surprisingly as I'm mostly pescatarian. I passed and saw the sign & this is a DEAL!! Ate: Complimentary focaccia Strawberry gazpacho Skate with veggie couscous Bordeaux blend The gazpacho was perfection with cukes & avocado. Superb skate, just a lovely lunch and AMAZING VALUE. On till 7/19ish.

    Summary: the food is alright, the portions are large, but the hostess I interacted with was not…read moregreat. I felt unwelcome, which was tough since I came here for dinner before a Broadway show, & was left without many other available options. I arrived 25 minutes late for my reservation, but was told that my only option was to sit at the bar due to their 30 minute grace period being up (which wasn't true). I looked around the restaurant & saw it was only 20% full, but the hostess then said all the open tables are reserved for guests who are arriving soon. Based on what I saw, it was hard to believe her. I checked open table to see if any reservations were available, and sure enough there was one at 6:15pm -- mind you, I arrived at the restaurant at 5:55pm. So I book the 6:15pm table & inform the hostess. I then sat down to wait for 6:15 to come. As I waited, I noticed the hostess asked each incoming guest whether they were attending a Broadway show & what time each show was at so that they could ensure the guests made it out on time. At 6:06, she comes & says she can seat me because another guest cancelled, which again, I found hard to believe. As she leads me to my table, I noticed she didn't ask if there was a show I was attending, nor the show's start time. I stopped & asked if she wanted to know my show time before seating me, & she looked so surprised. The honest truth is that the hostess did not treat me like a customer. Instead, I felt unwelcome & couldn't help but wonder if it was related to me being Black the only Black person in the restaurant. The food was ultimately alright, but the service here really ruins the experience.

    Photos
    Oceana
    Squid Ink Spaccatelli
    Squid Ink Spaccatelli
    Turkey dish mixed with white and dark meat

    See all

    Turkey dish mixed with white and dark meat
    Lobster Place

    Lobster Place

    4.2
    (1.6k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    You really can't beat the raw bar at Lobster Place which is located right in the middle of Chelsea…read moreMarket. There's plenty of seating, both tables and bar seating. To order, you fill out a paper sheet for the raw bar items and place a separate order in the back for kitchen fare. Every time I've been here, the seafood has been incredibly fresh and delicious. It's definitely not cheap though and our most recent meal came out to almost $500 after tip. We ordered: - 2 bread bowl NE clam chowders ($15 ea)--delicious and hearty. The peasant loaf bread was fine and everyone enjoyed it - 6oz lobster roll ($38)--a delicious cold lobster roll with a mayo-based sauce, great flavor, and a soft buttery bun - 20 oysters ($3.75 ea)--all fresh and delicious, primarily East Coast oysters although they occasionally have some West Coast ones. Fisher's Island was akin to drinking straight sea water - 5 Peruvian scallops--small and sweet with a strawberry sauce - 2 California uni ($19 ea)--one was incredibly sweet, clean tasting, and much better than the other, which was slightly more bitter and minerally - 2 diver scallops ($15 ea)--drizzled with olive oil, yuzu, and sea salt - 8 shrimp cocktail ($3.25 ea)--one of the most unworth things I've tried in recent times because the shrimp was so cold it tasted barely thawed and was watery with almost no flavor You order at the counter or via paper ticket and they bring everything to your table. Staff have always been friendly and service was great. They sell fresh fish and some frozen specialty items like escargot. I don't know if anything would ever deter me from coming back here :)

    8.9/10 Spider Roll - It was good, but nothing crazy to rave about. It was pretty standard and…read moredidn't really stand out compared to anything out of the ordinary. Cost - $14.00

    Photos
    A fun and relaxed raw bar atmosphere.
    A fun and relaxed raw bar atmosphere.
    The raw bar spread.
    The raw bar spread.
    Great craft beer selection.

    See all

    Great craft beer selection.

    Samsaen - thai - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...