Menu is unique not typical Thai - kinda explorative and a lot of shellfish Drink was good (penicillin ) Crab pad Thai was very good Vegetable curry was very mediocre . I do wish they had more "standard" curry dishes like a panang or Massaman with a protein read more

Cool place, insanely good food. The owner is a charming hostess that makes everyone feel at home. The crab fried rice was excellent and the beef jerky was slap yo mamma good. read more

The food is good, the space is beautifully done, and the menu is both expansive and interesting. You won't be disappointed in your actual meal. The issue, for me, was the speed. When I go out to dinner with my partner or friends and family, I am not just looking to shovel food into my mouth as fast as humanly possible, I want to sit and enjoy the meal and company for a time. A note for future first timers. Do not interpret what is listed as street food as an appetizer section, because it does not function as one. All food is brought to the table together and in an extremely short amount of time. About ten minutes after that the waiters begin asking if you are done and if they can clear the table for you, which began with the majority of food still on all plates and with us still clearly eating. Perhaps the staff are being instructed to be extremely attentive with customers. However, the way it comes off is extremely pushy, like they can't wait to get you out of the door. This was after a total of 25 minutes from sit down. Though the menu has other options I would like to try, the fact of not being able to enjoy the actual meal out as intended(by me at least) has me treating Wayla like a write off, even if my personal experience was an unintended and unfortunate one off. read more

Great hidden Thai spot on the lower east side. Immersive flavors and helpful service. Some of the dishes could be improved with additional protein (e.g. the curry) but the ambiance can't be beat read more

Wayla - Ribs, Yellow Curry, Crab fried rice - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing backyard garden to celebrate my birthday last year. Will definitely return and planning to this year!

(Overall: 79% | C) - I found the service to be relatively nice, attentive, and accommodating. There are some flaws in the food, but overall has high potential for improvement! (Calamari: 82% | B) - The calamari itself interestingly lacks color but remains crispy and tasty. The spicy avocado crema pairs well to add creaminess and acidity, though I think it could work better if it wasn't spicy to provide more of a cooling vibe since the squid was already fried. (Thai Tea: 70% | C) - The drink looks good but unfortunately has a lot of crushed ice, making it not contain a lot of tea and quickly tasting bland and watered down. IG: @amei.eats read more

Wayla - Housemade Thai Iced Tea. 3 stars. IG: @amei.eats - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Excellent Thai fusion in the LES by Delancey. The space is also quite unique as the main restaurant space is located in the basement but they have garden, curbside/outdoor, and indoor seating. The staff is great - friendly, attentive, and they are FAST. The fare itself is quite excellent - and the prices are reasonable for the portions and the quality of the ingredients. I would highly recommend the lobster noodles, pork ribs, and fried branzino. The lobster noodle is a premium version of a pad thai with a whole lobster - it is a must-try. The pork ribs are melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the branzino is flavorful and perfectly fried. We also got the bone-in strip steak which was solid as well. Will be back and this is worth a visit if you are downtown and craving some upscale Thai fusion. read more

Wayla - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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We dined at Wayla last night and loved the food, drinks, and overall experience! However, we won't make the mistake of sitting in the curbside booths again. The restaurant is located right along Chrystie Street, which sees a ton of gridlocked traffic on the weekends. The horn-blowing was constant, very loud, and really distracting, so lesson learned: it'll be inside dining or back patio only, should we make it back. And really, everything else was great. The service was on point, with top-notch recommendations and friendly attitudes. And it WAS nice to have the relative privacy of the spacious curbside room, so if you're looking for that and don't mind the noise, then the sidewalk dining might be for you. I was extremely impressed with this trendy Thai restaurant's inventive cocktail list. The infusion of Thai herbs, fruits, and spices really enlivens the drink menu. -Sway Wayla (gin, butterfly pea blossom, cucumber, lemon, shiso): Maybe it was just the color, but this cocktail reminded me of an aviation but with more herbal tea notes. -Bangkok surprise (mezcal, Suze, Thai grenadine, ginger syrup, pineapple juice, lemon). Wow. So good. This has tropical vibes from the ginger, pineapple, and grenadine, but also has this really impressive depth of flavor, almost like something you'd get from black sugar. Hard to describe, but we agreed that the cocktail hits a pleasure center in the brain, like foie gras or chocolate. It's just that good. Starters: Moo Sarong: This might very well be Wayla's signature dish. Those little pork meatballs wrapped in crispy noodle are too cute and unique not to order. They taste pretty good, too- especially the addictive chili sauce, which has sweetness, spice, and just a hint of pungency. Karipup Gai (minced chicken, onions, and potatoes in puff pastry): so good! Get these. They're a bit like Indian potato samosas but with a mild, savory, coconut-based yellow curry (karee curry) as a dipping sauce. Larb Pla Tod (whole fried branzino, shallots, mint, lime, chilies): as others have noted, the presentation of this fish dish is unique. It's the whole dish, but the flesh has been removed, deboned, friend into little crispy cubes, and mixed with fragrant spice. The marinade boasted a sour, fermented, pungent, umami flavor found in dishes like Penang laksa. The airy consistency of the cubes are reminiscent of fried tofu. Khao Pad Pu - crab fried rice with egg and chives. Great accompaniment for the branzino. We were going to go with the lobster pad Thai, but when we saw that it was $50, we were like, eh. The crab fried rice was like $20 cheaper and was very good. read more

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Always such an amazing experience and delicious food! We came with a group on a Friday night, and the place was packed! We were lucky to get table in the backyard, which was so spacious. The service was on point and very attentive. We basically ordered everything on the menu! We couldn't resist as the dishes were all so wonderfully prepared and flavors so bold and authentic. Some of the highlights that are a must get: - beef salad - chicken wings! - fried calamari with an avocado dipping sauce - fried branzino - string beans - of course the lobster noodles If we could eat here daily we would! read more

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Returned for dinner with a party of 4 and had another great meal! Didn't feel rushed this time, which was nice. I tried: + Pandan colada + Bangkok surprise + Sen chan pad lobster + Larb pla tod (whole fried branzino) + Yum nua yang (bbq beef) + Peek gai tod (chicken wings) + Kanang pad krapow (Brussels sprouts) + Maa's gaeng pak (veggie curry) + Mango mousse with sticky rice The highlights were the pandan colada, the chicken wings (so nice we ordered them twice - potentially the best chicken wings I have ever had, ever), the veggie curry, and the dessert. Definitely some of the best Thai food around! read more

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Great Thai place in Manhattan. Maa's Gaeng Pak was a yellow curry with a complex balance of sweet coconut milk, umami fish sauce, and spicy chili peppers. The Gai Yang roasted chicken had a crispy skin and juicy inside. The chicken inside could be a little bland but the dipping sauce helped. My table of two had a 15-min wait for Saturday lunch--I highly recommend getting a reservation before. Prices are a bit high, and rice is not free (~$4 for a small bowl). Decent amount of seating in the basement, although the interior may seem a bit claustrophobic. Friendly and fast service. read more

Wayla - Maa's Gaeng Pak (coconut curry with shrimp) - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Crowded restaurant! Love the vibes and look of the place. Scarily steep steps to get in but aside from that the place is great. Pretty tasty food, but relatively small menu. Thai iced tea was very tasty but would've been even better with non crushed ice! Would generally recommend though read more

Wayla - Bbq beef fried rice - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Delicious food, great indoor setting to have dinner with friends or fam. Cocktails were delicious and the food really is good. Service is fast and they're all pretty nice. read more

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We were seated outside on the patio which was beautiful. In the summer it can get pretty hot so inside would be better for next time. The service was great and the servers were knowledgeable about the food, portions, and recommended some great cocktails. Some of the cocktails were too sweet but overall great. The highlights of the meal were the branzino which had a perfect crispy texture and juicy taste and the crab fried rice. I think the fried rice could have been slightly more seasoned but overall was delicious and you could actually taste the crab. The curry and brussel sprouts (recommended by the server) were also great additions. The brussel sprouts were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The curry had a great variety of vegetables that added different flavors. The portions were also bigger than expected which was nice to share with a large group of people. For a total of 8 people, we got 9 dishes and that was more than enough. A wonderful spot for small or large groups, and special meals! read more

Wayla - Maa's gaeng pak (curry), kanang pad krapow (brussel sprouts), larb pla tod (branzino), khao pad pu (lump crab fried rice) - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

The food was absolutely delicious and flavorful ! The branzino was amazing. The beef fried rice had the perfect amount of spice. I would 100000% come back and try more things on their menu and definitely get the branzino again! read more

Wayla - Housemade Thai Iced Tea - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

I just heard about this place from a friend. There are a lot of 6/10 Thai places around. Pretty mediocre, but Thai food is great so I just keep settling. Well look out! Here comes Wayla! The food is AWESOME. Worst-case: 9/10. I got the crab fried rice. Pretty solid. Good complimentary flavors. My sister got the bbq pork rice. GET THIS! It's spicy and acidic and barbecue and I am fantasizing about it right now. I cannot wait to get back here. The thai iced tea was also great. Much creamier and less chalky than others I have had. Service was also exceptional. read more

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Not a fan. Whole experience was terrible. Fried branzino was good but overpriced for the value/portion. crab fried rice was cold and bland. thai tea was straight water. papaya salad was okay. whole place was over gentrified. NOT authentic at all. Our waiter was straight tweaking and whispered the whole time while the restaurant was blasting music like it was a club, couldn't even hear my friend who sat across from me. the purple rice was maybe like 4 tables spoons and COLD. honestly terrible experience we didn't even want to finish our dinner. surprised it has good reviews. don't fall for it. i'll never come back. read more

Wayla - fried branzino good, crab fried rice bad, thai tea bad - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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The servers were friendly. We had reservations and they seated us. The atmosphere was cozy. We had lobster noodles which was delicious! If you don't have any seafood allergies, give it a try, all the shells are taken out except for the lobster head for the aesthetics of this dish. Would recommend coming back with reservations because this place can get busy! read more

Wayla - Lobster noodle (top) & steak (bottom) - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

I went to Wayla with a group of 6 friends on a Friday night. It was tough to get a reservation but they had openings early in the evening (6pm), and were accommodating when we ran a little late. The decor and music are really nice, you walk down stairs into a moody, mid century modern space. They sit larger parties outside on the patio, which is a cute and large space. The only issue we had was that it was a chilly evening and even with jackets we were quite cold since there were no heaters. This also made the food get cold quite quickly. The server was very nice and took our order fast, we got papaya salad (medium spice level), long beans, ribs, crab fried rice, and salmon. The papaya salad was definitely a medium spice level, so if you don't have a great spice tolerance, I'd recommend mild. The beans and crab fried rice were great texture but could have used a little more flavor and complexity. My favorite was the salmon which was very flaky and came in a coconut sauce that was very tasty. The ribs also tasted great with a sweet sauce they provided on the side, but weren't extremely tender. We skipped dessert since it was cold outside, but enjoyed the time at Wayla. read more

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Did the curbside dining here. Would have preferred the outdoor garden seating since the scenery looks nice from the pictures. However the curbside dining felt more private. Food was good overall. Ordered the fish, crab fried rice, ribs. The ribs were a lot bigger than I expected. The meatball appetizers were hard on the outside, be careful trying to pick it up with a fork since it's hard to stab. I enjoyed the dessert. Mango sticky rice was on point and the coconut ice cream was really good. read more

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This place is hard to spot if you're just walking around chinatown and passing grand street. It's a hidden gem inside the basement with an outside dining experience. The calamari was amazingly good. The curry vegetable dish was delicious, wish it came with coconut rice on the side. The crab fried rice was good but the spice sauce and the scallion was kind of weird. The lemonade drink was filled with 75% ice. Would come back again to try other dishes. read more

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Great fancy thai restaurant in a basement in the lower east side. Very cool atmosphere. The service was super friendly and knowledgeable. The food was great. The following were ordered: - Kanang Pad Krapow: brussel sprouts , holy basil, chillies (excellent) - Tua Pad Prik Khing: wok-fried long beans, tofu, galangal chili paste (very good) - Maas Gaeng Pak (excellent ): home style veggies, yellow curry, chili Overall recommend! read more

Still incredible, especially the lobster noodles and the vegetable curry. The crab fried rice was also excellent, although I think I may have actually preferred the vegetable version. The papaya salad was also great. read more

New menu items for summertime!! Super excited to try all the new appetizers and mains! read more

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Small restaurant in the LES / Chinatown area, serving excellent modern Thai cuisine. There isn't a huge amount of seating so reservations are recommended especially if you're a larger party. I would suggest ordering family style so you can try a variety of dishes. Some of our favorites were the beef fried rice, chicken wrapped in leaves, lobster noodles, and the Thai curry. The cocktails were also beautiful and complimented the food very well. Prices are a little on the higher side for this area, but the quality of food made up for it. The outdoor dining shacks don't have any fans though, so it is quite uncomfortable to sit outdoors when it's hot. read more

Wayla - Curry - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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A hidden Thai gem! Fantastic food with quick service! Would recommend to anyone looking for good Thai food in the area

Came for dinner with a friend from out of town and got the rec from a relative. The restaurant was a little hard to find but thankfully they had someone outside who noticed me walking back and forth who told me where Wayla was We sat at the bar which i typically like doing to make small talk w bar tenders. We were hungry so ordered both food and drinks! We started with the "dumplings" (forgot what they are called but they look like an empanada) and the chicken wings. although small the wings were SOOO good - but i wish they were bigger it was seriously one bite and gone. the buns were dry but once paired with their spicy dipping sauce flavors were 10/10 the rice was so filling! thank goodness we shared all this food. we added the spicy sauce here as well and loved all the basil and chili flavors that were going on. my friend doesnt like egg in her rice although i think that protein would have been perfect for this dish 10/10 recommend and would come back! read more

Wayla - thai fried rice - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Pretty good this food. Doesn't reinvent the wheel. Not the best bang for you buck but you still get a bang.

Loveeeee this place! A client bought me here for dinner and I've been back a few times. First off get the branzino !!! If you're more than two then get two because you will not want to share. I like to get brussel sprouts anytime it's on the menu and there's did not miss at all. I'm sort of having flashbacks about their food it's delicious, a flavor party for your mouth. I finally got to try their lobster noodle it was just as good as I expected it to be. Their drinks are just as good as well. Everything is well worth the price. Although the place make look small, it is sort of a tight fit, there's several seating options. They have heated seating out front and a back patio. I've eaten at the bar and didn't mind it. Just be prepared to be asked or ask what someone else is eating. read more

Wayla - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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We had reservations for 9 for dinner and when we arrived, we were surprised to discover that there were only three 2-person tables pushed together for our party. We pointed it out and initially we were told that they would add another table and a chair to the end to fit all 9 of us. The fourth table was pushed over and a staff person brought the ninth chair. Suddenly the manager showed up and very rudely, brusquely informed us that the fourth table must be put back as they were "booked up" and "busy". When it was pointed out that the reservation was originally made for 8 and a subsequent call was made to add the ninth person; the manager stated that, "...there was no information about the ninth person in the notes and since it wasn't in the notes, they would not accommodate the request...". When it was pointed out yet again, that the reservation was for 8 and we had seats and tables for 6 - she repeated the bit about there being no notes and said that the lack of notes in the system was the fault of the person calling in to make the reservation. What?! She then disappeared and we did not se her for the remainder of the evening. We made the best of it and we managed to all gather around the table for the 1 hour 45-minute dinner. During the reservation call, we were given a $55 dollar per person price and yet when the manager came over, she said the $55 was for parties of 8 or less and that parties over 8 would be $65 per head and then also threw out a $79 dollar prix fixe a la carte price which made no sense and that she did not explain. As it turned out, for the table of 9; we were instructed to pick 5 appetizers, 3 entrees and 1 side of rice. When I inquired as to whether this "family style' selection was enough for 9; the server responded with "...it depends how hungry you are...". This did not answer the question in the least. To be safe, we ordered an extra appetizer, 2 extra entrees and an order of crab fried rice and the vegetable fried rice. The food was good, no issues with the food at all - but the platters of food were the same size as the single serving entrees so it was not "family style" in the least and even with 5 entrees that we ordered; it was a tasting of food at best. The cocktails were good, I enjoyed my whiskey spiked thai iced tea cocktails and it was all good Thai food. The moo sarong or crispy noodle wrapped meatballs were nothing special, tasty bites but certainly not up to the over-hype. At the 1 hour 40-minute mark, the server unsubtlety made clear that they wanted us to wrap up and clear out; no offer of dessert or coffee. Overall, the experience left much to be desired and I would not recommend Wayla as anything special; in NYC, I can easily suggest 20+ better Thai restaurants to go to for both great food and great service. read more

Bad experience here because of bad service by the owner! Asked for a Togo box because Time Out Market was closing and SHE made it seem like I didn't even order anything from them. Went back to ask for a bag for my leftovers and got the death stare. Ordered the pad Thai. It's not authentic. Can't even request to make it spicer. Would not recommend, there's way better Pad Thai in lower manhattan and CHEAPER!!!!! read more

This restaurant is below ground - you need to step down stairs in order to get to the entrance (they didn't really have restaurant signage at the street). Food was good! Everything in the food felt intentional. Nice outdoor seating in the back. Was a fan of all the small doggos hanging about. My favorite dishes: Kaoh Pad Pu (Lump Crab Fried Rice) Gai Yang (Grilled Chicken) Kua Kling (wok fried shrimp) The pork meatballs (Moo Sarong) and Papaya Salad weren't too memorable for me - next time I visit I'd probably try other appetizers. read more

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I came with a friend for Saturday brunch at 1pm. Pros are that the ambiance was dim and cozy and service was friendly and prompt, but unfortunately I was let down by the dishes we ordered. Perhaps their dinner menu is better? We got the moo sarong (pork wrapped in fried noodle), nua jay pan aoi (impossible meat on sugarcane skewers), and crab fried rice. The crab fried rice would probably be my favorite dish of the three, but even then I found it to be bland in comparison to other places. The skewers were a nice vegan/vegetarian option but nothing that special. I was most let down by the moo sarong, which is their signature dish. The meat was dry and it would've been hard to eat if it were not for the sweet and sour sauce served on the side. It didn't help that all our dishes were served on the colder side. The portion sizes and prices are not bad. The starters are small but the crab fried rice was quite large and the two of us were satiated with the 3 dishes we got. The total for both of us was around $70 post tax and tip. read more

Me and my friend went to this place in January and sat outside in their heated patio. My only complaint with this place is that the heated patios are not really heated (compared to the other ones in nyc). We were pretty cold and ate with our jackets on. However, the staff were very sweet and accommodating. That being said all the food was delicious! We started out with the homemade Thai tea w oat milk. I usually never like oat milk but this place had a creamy Thai tea and it didn't feel like oat milk at all. For appetizers we went with the chicken curry puffs, they were very soft and flavorful and the dipping sauce which is a yellow curry was also delicious. It came in a set of two, perfect for a date. We then ordered the crab friend rice and the yellow curry main. The crab fried rice was some of the best I've had in the city, the crab was super soft and buttery and with a little side of chilli powder this dish was exceptional. The yellow curry was delicious as well but nothing spectacular compared to the other dishes. Will definitely be coming back to try some more of the other dishes as well as to get the crab fried rice again! read more

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The flavors in Wayla's dishes are kicking and screaming (in a good way). Highlights, in order: the Gai Yan (grilled Amish chicken), marinated to perfection with a hint of smokiness from the grill; the Karpup Gai (curry puff), though I always tend to gravitate towards flaky pastries filled with savory goods; and the Kua Kling (spicy spicy spicy shrimp). This is the type of place you'd eat at with friends who are actual foodies with a love for adventure and trying something new. read more

Best damn elevated Thai comfort food I've ever had! We had a stew dish that was perfection! Hats off to the chef and kitchen.

My husband and I came here on the Friday afternoon of LDW. I requested to sit in the patio, which was quite beautiful and romantic. Nothing too girly/fancy with a bunch of fake flowers like a lot of asian places do sometimes - just the right amount of outdoor hanging lights and green plants. I ordered us: 1. Moo Sarong (pork meatballs) 2. Karipup Gai (curry puffs) 3. Som Tum Thai (papaya salad) 4. Pla Muk Tod (fried calamari) Everything was delicious! The Moo Sarong (pork meatballs) was the dish that we have never tried and I loved the texture the most. The curry puffs are a staple good hot hand snack. I always get the papaya salad at Thai restaurants and my husband loves any kind of fried calamari. I recommend Wayla for couples who enjoy Thai street food. Sit in the patio during the warmer months! read more

Wayla - our spread - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Wayla is an adorable spot in basically a basement with a beautiful outdoor space. We sat inside on a hot June night. Wayla's food is good, but fell short of great - here is what we had: Started with the Moo Sarong. I had read a review that said these were little flavor bombs - and they were but they were DRY. We still ate them, but something went south here - too long under a heat lamp, or something. Poh Pia Larb - these were okay - the filling tasted pasty for some reason. It was the least favorite of our appetizers. The third appetizer was a ceviche-like dish I can't remember and it was lovely. It had amazing seafood, acid, and brightness with a nice heat kick! I had one of the curries and it was POTATO forward - but that was my fault - I could have read the description better. I ordered a side of purple sticky rice (which was amazing). My co-worker ordered the lobster fried rice and it was the star of the meal! Lots of lobster - and such a large serving it could definitely be shared. The service was stellar. read more

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The service is pretty good. All dishes are so tasty, which out of my expectation, especially the Larb Pla Tod - Fried Branzino, the fish filets are crispy and then the sauce and powder on the top are sweet and sour. I really love it! See Krong Moo Yang are the ribs, which is soft too. Everything went well except little too expensive. Our bills is $70/person read more

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I've been meaning to try this place for a very long time! Finally came here and the service was good, food was good as well. The fish was a bit dry but just make sure to add that red sauce and it should be better. The crab fried rice was really delicious. I typically don't like crab but this didn't have a bad after taste. The cucumber thyme was also good because it's non alcoholic! Overall, good vibes, good time, good food. read more

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