The Weekender used to be one of two restaurants specializing in Bhutanese food in Queens, the other being Zhego. I was a fan of Zhego, but as they have since closed I decided to give the Weekender a try. I should have done so sooner, as despite always enjoying my meal at Zhego, the Weekender is clearly superior. I came with a friend. He arrived before me and texted me "You're gonna think it's closed, but it's not". The restaurant was not nearly as well attended as the pool hall next door, as we were the only diners during our visit. The restaurant is clean and well decorated, and fun corny music videos for what I assume are Bhutanese pop stars play on the TV. The menu is via QR code and features helpful descriptions and photos for those experiencing this unique cuisine for the first time. Bhutan is a small country wedged between China and India and their food is most similar to that of Tibet and Nepal, but it is truly unique and all its own. The staple grain here is a red rice, similar to brown rice with a chewy texture and nutty flavor. Two of the most notable aspect of the cuisine from my observation are their use of cheese- a specific Bhutanese cheese called Datsi, and the "air dried" meats. From the research I've done, it seems that the Datsi cheese is not exported out of Bhutan by law, so this restaurant must either make their own or use a similar cheese as a substitute. Several dishes are served in a thin but flavorful cheese sauce, including the national dish, ema Datsi which consists of lightly cooked green chilis which are quite spicy to be eaten as a vegetable instead of a flavoring. We ordered a mushroom and chili combination with the cheese sauce, which tempered the heat a bit. They also have air dried pork and beef, which is similar to a jerky but the texture of the pork is really difficult for me to describe. The lean parts of the pork are quite jerky like while the fat becomes something like a dense jelly. The texture almost reminded me of membrillo weirdly. The slices of pork come stir fried in a well seasoned and spicy sauce which includes Sichuan peppercorns (called thingye in Bhutan) as well as slices of soft potato and some other vegetables. The food is not unbearably spicy but I did find myself going through a lot of water. I was blown away by the flavors of this food and I look forward to returning to try more. We ordered just these two dishes and certainly had more room at the end of the meal. The prices are very reasonable but the portions are not huge. For two diners, I would recommend ordering 3 dishes to share. read more

The Weekender - Shamu Datsi - Rice Dried Pork Chilly - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

The national dish of Bhutan which is the ema datshi was pretty good but it was super spicy even as someone with a quite high spice tolerance. The red rice that came with that dish was also pretty good. The server told me that the beef momos were a must-try, so I ordered it and it came out pretty juicy and I could tell that it was hand-made, unlike many places back home. read more

The Weekender - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

Was really interested in Bhutanese cuisine. Really simple overall, and high quality. I wouldn't necessarily come back based on the flavor profiles, but I still enjoyed my meal nonetheless. Helpful worker gave recommendations. It was also seeing the pool hall directly next door. My favorite element was the cheese in the mushroom dish--so creamy and a nice balance between runny and gooey. I think it may taste really generic for some people, but I loved the texture. read more

The Weekender - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

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My friend and I stopped by this place and he wanted me to try it. I've never had Bhutanese cuisine and I really enjoyed the dried beef with vegetables. If you like jerky, then definitely get this dish. Good flavor, not too spicy. If you're not a beef jerky fan, do not get it. I really vibed with it The service was good, they were attentive and nice :) read more

The Weekender - Dried Beef Chilly - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

First time for Bhutanese food. Very interesting. Some dishes were a little too spicy for me but still tasty. Service was a little slow, but they are very polite. Not much of a decor. Had the beef momo with were tasty. Kamgchu were good. Pork rib was a little dry. Red rice was very tasty. Ema datsi was tasty but too spicy for me. Hoentse datsi was good. read more

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Ambiance (4/5): The inside felt really homey with several dining tables and then a billiards table in the back room. Service (2/5): There was very little service in general. If you want something, expect to flag down the one person who works the front to order, to have water refills, and to get the check. Otherwise, you will be left to your own devices. The food does not get delivered in order of appetizers, so they came out all at once. Waitress was able to split our bill into 3 separate payments across credit cards which we appreciated! I've never had Bhutanese food before! The closest comparison is to Nepalese food. The round of food came with a heaping bowl of rice per person. Beef Momo (4/5): The skin was thick but the meat was not the most flavorful when enjoyed on its own. The spicy sauce was a smidge to spicy to have with it. Spicy Salad Beef Chili (4/5): I really liked the cheese with the blend of the green chilies which was actually quite hot. Beef jerky was not too tough to chew. This dish was my least favorite. Ezay / spicy salad (5/5): Nothing I've had before with feta cheese, and tomato, cilantro altogether! Pork Chili (5/5): I was a huge fan of the sauce which was both sweet and spicy but not too spicy. There was a good helping of pork pieces but some were a bit tougher cuts than others. Buckwheat Noodles (3/5): Seemed like just noodles cooked in some oil and butter. Not much flavor to it and not worth the cost point at all. Sun-dried pork slice (4/5): This was different as it was large pieces of bacon (mostly dried fat) but the sauce was soaked up into the radish slices which was tasty. read more

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Super unassuming place. And it was pretty empty when we went for lunch on a Saturday. The menu is simple enough with only a few variations of the same thing. Started with the momo. This really set the bar for this meal that was ultimately not met, as the momos were great. Amazing texture. The dipping sauce is no joke spicy. One of the better momos I've had. For mains, we got the sun-dried beef with cheese and the pork ribs. The pork ribs I found a bit boring and didn't find the flavoring really that impactful. Came off the bone nicely but didn't work well with the rice. I much preferred the beef/cheese. I can absolutely see people finding this to be too salty (especially the cheese), so the rice is a must. But it's a nice portion and I enjoyed the beef. What ruined this a little bit for me was when we were debating what kind of cheese this was thinking maybe it was a more exotic cheese and asked the waitress, her response was that not only did she not know but that she thought it was maybe white American (it...cannot have been...). Worth trying but the menu wasn't big enough to warrant going back. read more

The Weekender - Pork ribs (left) and beef with cheese (right) - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

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Kind staff, delicious food, and rich culture. True Bhutanese food and staff. Family ran with a quaint ambiance. Will be back!

Ditto to everything I wrote in my first review! I haven't been here since 2018. It was definitely time for a return visit; and The Weekender did not disappoint! They have made cosmetic upgrades and it's a lovely restaurant now! When they first opened, it was a legit Snookers Poolhall, with a few table on the side for dining. Well...fast forward to 2023, and they now have a separate dining area, which is brightly lite and nicely decorated. They also have a small bar and a corner area for live music/entertainment. Note that the exterior of the restaurant still looks like "just" a poolhall. So this hidden gem of a Bhutanese Restaurant, is still hidden! This is tonight's menu (shared by 4 ppl): -- Cheese Momos (8 pcs) $8.99...very good -- Beef Momos (8 pcs) $9.99...very good -- Chow Mein w.Chicken $8.99...ok -- Ezay (Bhutanese Spicy Salad) $7.99...fantastic!! Very spicy. -- Sikam Paa (dried pork w.onions, scallion, garlic & chilli) $14.99...the dried pork had the consistency of jerky. great dish. -- Aloo Dun (potatoes, garlic, chilli & Indian spices) $8.99...delicious and so flavorful. -- Ema Datsi (Nat'l dish of Bhutan: fresh spicy green peppers, cheese & garlic) $11.99...fantastic! Get this! -- Shami Datsi (mushrooms w.cheese & garlic) $11.99...fantastic! This was even better than their Ema Datsi. Get this! -- Rice: complimentary with each entree (but not with the Momos). The food was fantastic! But be warned: Most of their dishes used the same long Asian Chili Peppers, which were very very spicy! They didn't know the name of this pepper but said that depending on the season, these peppers can be mildly spicy or extremely spicy, so be warned! I love extra spicy, so I loved it but those who couldn't handle the heat, had a hard time. Service and hospitality were wonderful! I would definitely return to try their other menu items. We have yet to try Snookers...maybe next time! read more

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Short review: Get the datshi of course and anything with sun dried beef as they're quite good at any of those types of dishes. Also the menu now is a bit more expensive that what is on yelp. I unfortunately do not have photos of said changes. I went here with a large group to try their rather unique cuisine and overall just about everything was quite tasty. For those who haven't had it, it's similar to the nearby Nepal and Tibet but with a more liberal use of cheese in some dishes such as in their national dish and stronger abundance of chili. In short spicy very tasty food almost all meant to be served with their famous red rice a nutty rice with a slightly sticky texture. As we got the dishes in rather random orders, I'll be separating it by the types: Datshi/Dhatsi/Datsi: Cheese based dishes Shakham / Norsha Dhatsi- Sundried beef with cheese and greens. This was very tasty with small pieces of dried be adding some extra flavor and texture. The cheese based sauce had some nice spiciness to it. Shamu Datsi- With sautéed mushrooms instead of beef. Also very tasty, this was a big hit at the table with the mushrooms adding a fun tasty texture. Paa: Dried meat Shakam Paa- Sun dried beef slices with vegetables. The beef again had a nice texture and it was well flavored Sikam Paa- Same with pork. Also good though if you're not a fan of a chewy meat texture such as in beef tendon/cartilage, I think that the beef version would be your preference. Nayakam Paa: Air dried fish with vegetables. This was by far our least favorite dish. The fish was very bony and very fishy with a bit of a noxious smell. Even as someone who likes spicy dried fish (such as Korean style,) I had difficulty eating this. Other dishes: Jasha Maroo- Minced chicken soup. Very tasty and creamy but we preferred the pumpkin soup what was great and well spiced but I'm unsure what the name is. Pork Chimpa- Pork liver chopped with vegetables. The liver flavor was clean and it went with the vegetables. I would recommend this. Chicken Chilly: This was tasty as well no I prefer the versions at Hakka Indian spots as they have more flavor. Beef Chili: Also good though it is odd seeing beef prepared in a similar way. Aloo Dum- Slow cooked potatoes with spices. This was alright with surprisingly less spice than other spots. Beef/cheese momo - Dumplings. In terms of the two I preferred the beef as the cheese was less flavorful but both are fine but I prefer other places for momos. Overall, this place was quite good and a very unique dining experience. I would definitely go back and get some of the dishes again though the Nayakam Paa should honestly be removed from the menu (or put somewhere in Dzongkha) and in general the more Indian dishes were less flavorful. The food was overall reasonably priced and the service while not the best at English were friendly. Good spot. read more

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I had picked up My hungry Daughter at JFK and decided to try Bhutanese cuisine. We were looking for good Yelp reviews and late night hours. We found the Weekender in Woodside Queens located in a restaurant with pool tables. We were greeted warmly and seated. We started with beef monos and Dry Beef Chili. They brought our monks out with ketchup which we put away and a delicious pot of spicy sauce. That sauce was golden. The monos were piping hot and delicious. The dry beef chili was yummy the beef has a jerky like texture and was very flavorful. We also had the buckwheat noodles which were cool and provided relief to the heat. Lastly we got the Shakam Datsi which was a sun dried beef strip with cheese. It was good but next time I'd skip the cheese. They have a liquor license and a bar. People were super nice and helpful. Parking was tough but we got a spot a block away. So if you're feeling adventurous I would recommend trying Bhutanese food here. read more

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This is my go-to restaurant in NY, every dish feels like home Everything is absolutely delicious but my ultimate favorite has to be the gondo datshi read more

Amazing spot. It is one of the few Bhutanese restaurant in USA. 1) I got the kewa datsi, which is potato and cheese stew, very unique. 2) The second dish was jasha maru, which is a spicy chicken stew. It was my favorite dish, however, it is very spicy. As someone of Indian origin, it is perfect for me. But, if you are used to not eating spicy food, it might be too much spice. 3) The rice they give is very unique. 4) I got suja, which is butter tea. Very unique. read more

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Talk about ambience and this is the place. This is close to the 52nd station 7 train. If you love Bhutanese cuisine than this is the place in fact I think this is the only place in NYC. They just did interior renovations with custom cabinets and all wooden furnitures. So this place looks completely different than it use to be. The place itself is very clean and the service is fast. The food takes time because they make it fresh. Love their suja(butter tea), kangchung and shakam Datshi. They serve alcohol beverages too. read more

The Weekender - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

When some arranged an evening at The Weekender after some drinks around the corner at Solid State, I assumed I'd be in for an evening of embarrassing myself shooting pool...not about to be introduced to one of the best meals I've had anywhere. The snooker tables, electronic slot machines, name of the establishment do not indicate hat behind the doors of this nondescript establishment lies a culinary Shangri-La offering dishes from the Bhutan. Other than a flag of Bhutan (and also Tibet), and a picture of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, you would have no idea what you were getting into...and that is what makes the experience all that much better. The food is delicious and the way it is presented, along with the service, makes you feel as if you are eating with and among friends or family. The dishes tend to run spicy, the portions are huge, and the flavors are truly unique. This isn't Nepali food, nor is it Indian, or Chinese...though you could see subtle influences from all three. I wound up getting to try a fair share of the menu across two visits and I do not think you can go wrong with any choices. I particularly loved the Norsha Datse (beef and cheese with vegetables) and the Jasha Maroo (minced chicken in a tomato, onion, and garlic broth). A truly unique experience and a quintessentially "Queens" spot that highlights the best of our borough and how it truly is a microcosm of the world. read more

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Really strong, distinct, delicious flavors! The broth with the pork leg is so good! Tasty, herby, textural momos. A delightful neighborhood discovery. read more

I never had Bhutanese food but it's been on my radar for the last 8 years. I finally had a opportunity to sit back and enjoy their food. For those that have not had it before it is a different flavor profile unto itself. Some dishes are served with air dried proteins. Make sense as a means to preserve food. When prepared into a dish it makes it have a unique food profile. Jammed with scallions or green chilies and any other fresh ingredient just makes it pop. I decided to order a bunch and bring home most of the dish. Not sure when I will make it here again and I rather not miss out on this fantastic food. Now let's talk the plates I got. -Dumplings (momo) sort of reminds me of purse dumplings but a bit smaller. These juice packed dumplings are enjoyable. -Ema datsi means cheese. This was one of my favorites. I got the green chili datsi. This is not a plate of hot cheese with peppers in it. Think sprinkle on and pan cooked. Our version of parmesan. What can I say beside yum. -Shakam Datsi is air dried beef with cheese. One may think of a beef jerky style meat. -Sikam Datsi is air dried pork with cheese. This really make the pork pop and not as greasy/oily. -Jasha Maru is a chickens stew with leak, ginger, pepper spice. Man I could eat bowls, bowls and bowls of this. This is not fine dinning. This is about people cooking what they had at home. It is simply delicious use of fresh spices and herbs. If your looking to expand your food horizon this is not a bad place to start. read more

The Weekender - Outside this is a purely a foodie destination. - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

Loved the shakam pa and shogo datse. Beef and cheese momos were ok, not as juicy and cheese momo could have been better. Went on a rainy day so it was mostly empty. Service and ambiance were both great! Clean and presentable. read more

Been there for lunch and had the best food. Butter tea and pumpkin soup is best. The sikam...best.. read more

The Weekender - Bhutanese dish.... - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

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First Bhutanese restaurant to open in New York City, offers delicious Bhutanese meal. Restaurant is big enough for big group to dine in, very chill place!!! Service was very nice and everyone was friendly and welcoming, can't wait to go there again soon read more

The Weekender - I loved the cheese momo, Sikam paa/ Sun-dried pork slice, and the Shakam paa/ Sun-dried beef strip - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

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Place is pretty dead . Food has good strong ginger flavors but is otherwise indistinct. Kinda mushy, with small bits of meat

The only Bhutanese restaurant in the country as far as I know of . Love it here. Always quiet and peaceful . Last time I had the national dish of Emma Datsi - chilies and cheese, delicious. This time I ordered Bhutanese spicy tripe as well As buckwheat noodles sautéed with garlic and ginger . Butter tea also . !! read more

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Bhutanese Spicy Tripe. Going again for sure . It was so good . Delicious food . Love it read more

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Wary of the ostensibly robust portion sizes, I eschewed two entrees and focused on the norsha datse despite an interest in the bumthang noodle. It was complex and gooey mass of American cheese, beef, and vegetables. The meat was interesting, desiccated and jerky-like, but given more moisture from the cheese. The dish was fairy salty and thus the bountiful rice was required. When the server came by and asked if I desired more rice, I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was free and I readily accepted. The beef momos were modestly sized but comprised of juicy fillings. The accompanying red sauce was intensely spicy and required some acclimation. The chicken chilly similarly possessed potent heat and I was glad to have only requested a medium level of spiciness. It was enough to accentuate the flavorful crispy pieces of chicken and not decimate my taste buds. The suja tea was thick and creamy, quite rich as you could distinguish the butter. For the price (~$30), it was a hearty and worthwhile meal. read more

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Place: the place honestly looked a bit sketchy when we were outside. My family and I walked in a bit and saw that the place barely had any customers which made us reluctant to try this place. My brother laughed that with the dining tables and the snooker tables, it had reminded him of a Yakuza place. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The dining and snooker tables and the decor inside were pretty cute and the seats were comfortable to sit in. Service: the people are super nice! Our waiter was very accommodating. He asked us about the spice level of the food we ordered, gave pitchers of water whenever we ran out quickly, and answered my sister's questions about the Bhutanese culture. I've never heard of Bhutan so that was interesting! There was another member of the staff who I asked that helped us learn how to play the game called Snooker. He helped us set up the games and explain the rules to us. He watched our play and gave us good pointers on how to play the game. It was very helpful since I have never heard of the game Snooker either, and to be honest, I think I might actually like this game better than pool hahahaha! The rest of the staff were nice as well. We had a wonderful time here! Food: The food here is generally very spicy! Even at the mild level, I was dying from the heat, but then again, I am very sensitive to spicy food. So if you love spicy food, then this is the place for you. I wish they had more non spicy options here since my family and I are not that big into spicy food. I would definitely come by here more often if they did. For those who've been reading about how good the momos are, they are. They are called dumplings in the menu. We had the beef one and it was pretty good. I'd like to try the cheese in the next time. Price: I would have to say the prices here are pretty good to decent. Good especially for the entrees since it came with a plate of rice and soup. Snooker: Each table is $13/hr which I think is a pretty good deal since my 3 siblings and I just played for the hour. There are 3 tables available and all were in good condition. The sticks were in also pretty good condition as well. I wouldn't worry about the tables being busy, no offense, since we didn't see that many people there, but hey with time, that'll most likely change. By the way, they only have snooker here; no billiards here. Recommendation: If I am in the mood to eat and play snooker again, I will definitely come by here! Even more so, if they add more non-spicy options here! I would love to take my friends here. read more

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The food is nice !! There's always a room for improvement May be the service needs to get a bit faster But Bhutanese food is something to die for read more

The Weekender - Bhutanese flag and a photograph of the royal couple of Bhutan - Pool Halls Near Me - Woodside, New York

It's hard to overstate how wonderful Weekender is. Chowing down on their ema datse, bathup, momos, and other Bhutanese favorites is an unparalleled experience even with takeout; getting to do it indoors, listening to the relaxing click of snooker balls, sipping a frosty Tiger beer, and having a thoughtful conversation with Jimmy (the manager), it is transcendent. I eat their takeout all the time and can't wait to dine in again. read more

It's a surprise to me that this restaurant has 4.5 stars. The restaurant serves old/stale meat that, in my opinion, could be a health hazard. The restaurant probably serves food up to eating standard at the restaurant, but anyone thinking of ordering delivery - Stay Away and save yourself a trip to the hospital. read more

The food was not good as expected. Very disappointed after ordering some items. It was a total disaster.

I kept coming back because of their authentic and fresh food. Its a great place to hangout with friends.

I had never tried Bhutanese cuisine before and safe to say I'm hooked. I grew up in China and it's so interesting to see how Bhutanese food is similar to some dishes from western Chinese. The soup is hearty, and the pork chop dish is spicy and satisfying. Unfortunately, i can't eat cheese but I urge anyone who can to try the cheese dishes and leave a review. read more

Excellent momos, I love all the various versions. This is Bhutanese food at its most authentic. Staff is lovely as well.

It's a great experience. The ambiance is very welcoming and charming. Amazing and authentic Bhutanese food. Staff are extremely knowledgeable and make great recommendations. read more

THE REAL BHUTNESE food on Roosevelt.... For snooker pool and Dhatse lovers... No delivery services unavailable.... read more

Food is incredible!!!!! I was lucky to have experienced real home cooked bhutanese food a few years ago. To have it again and for it to taste this amazing, was a dream come true. It's definitely one of the best cuisines in the world. Have already gone back even though it takes me an hour to get there! read more

Bhutanese social club, kitchen, and competitive snooker center. Best momos in Sunnyside. Relax and enjoy yourself.

Amazing place with great atmosphere and food, with billiards to boot! The ema datse is on fleek with green peppers that span the Scoville scale. The music playlist has great variety ranging from the greatest hits of Bhutan to Lil Jon. The restaurant is very unmarked and easy to miss. Look for the imposing black wooden doors and you'll find yourself in a delectable food monastery. read more

Unsuspectingly delectable! A little Bhutanese treasure, Weekender is a great place to shoot some pool/snooker while getting your grub on. The cheese momos were incredible - just as filling as the meat ones (which I've heard are also amazing). The butter tea was the perfect balance of butter, salt and tea. The beef chilli was really well flavored and not too tough. The shamo datse was really good, but not spicy for my taste. I liked the chilli the momos came with - it was very simple but spicy and yummy. The pumpkin and egg soups were both light and helped balance the cheesy meal. All in all, a great hang out spot that I will definitely be visiting again! read more

First thing's first, the food is amazing! The Emma datse is just right, the momos are the best in town, the soups are just delicious. I'll definitely be back! That said, this place is suuuuper funky. First of all, from the outside it looks about as unappealing as possible, blocked off windows, bad signage, and a some cracked frosted glass above the door. When you enter, there are a bunch of snooker tables to the left, a bar to the right, and some tables to the right of that that look like they time warped in from the 70s. If you can get past that, the people there are exceedingly friendly and accommodating and did I mention that the food is amazing!?! read more

Best place in New York for Bhutanese food + well kept secret! Under the guise as a billiards bar, I love coming here when I'm craving home cooked Bhutanese food. Everything from the momos to the datsi (cheese) dishes and the paa (meat) dishes are delicious. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to try authentic Bhutanese food. read more