My husband and I first visited Zaab Zaab immediately after it opened, and we had some mixed feelings about it at the time, but we both agreed to return after it had been open for a while longer. We have seen the glowing reviews that have surfaced since that first visit and recently returned (not once, but twice in one week). I can honestly say that it truly lives up to the hype. They have a fairly streamlined menu that specifically focuses on Esan style Thai cuisine, and the dishes all seem to strike such a great balance of textures and flavors. There's generally a very fresh component with the use of greens and herbs, and I love the balanced acidity of a lot of the sauces. Their larb dishes are soooo tasty, particularly the duck version, and I absolutely love their fried tilapia. The service is fantastic, so friendly and attentive and welcoming. Our server the last two times we visited was Addy, who exudes such a positive and amazing energy! He's a joy to be around and treats you like a good friend. He also makes great recommendations, so trust his judgment! I look forward to returning to Zaab Zaab very soon. read more

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This is my second time since last summer. The first visit I didn't write the reviews because I didn't feel any special and I was slightly disappointed but today experience is different. The restaurant located in Elmhurst around the place that we know as Little Thailand which has a ton of delicious Thai restaurants. The restaurant focused and specialty on Esan food.(North Eastern region of Thailand) The food here is amazing especially Somtum Plara. The ambiance of the restaurant is very relaxing with Thai pop music in the background. The table are space out which is very comfortable. The server I think his name is "Great" is very polite and attentive. He always stop by the table to make sure if everything is ok. My first visit I agreed with some review that say it is a bit pricy compared to near by restaurants and the service in last summer was not so great but today felt like that today's experience was way better than my first visited last summer. I felt that the restaurant had improved a lot. The service is better, as well as the food. Great improvement. Overall amazing food. Recommend for all Thai food lover. read more

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Awesome food at Zaab Zaab! We got the Ka Pow and one of the gaeng om curries (that felt more like a soup than curry?) and they were both so yummy. The galangal awoke my entire body for this entire new years. If it weren't for Hug Esan and Saranrom being so nearby, I would rate Zaab Zaab a full five stars! read more

Zaab Zaab - Ka pow GAENG OM BEEF SHANK - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Finding this authentic Thai restaurant through social media reviews. It was came out was really good food thai and It came form north eastern province of Thailand. I have the duck larb so so good. My husband has the rib eyes steak with the sauce excellent! And my picky eater daughter has the toasted chicken definitely 100% by her, I can't believed that roasted chicken so juicy through the meat and bones. I have one picture of my meal but the rest of others finished in a minute read more

Zaab Zaab - Duck LARB NEUR with Thai Ice Tea - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Boy did this place lived up to the hype! Once again, the Yelp community (thanks!) delivered as we ordered the Signature Salt Encrusted Fish, 'Crying Tiger' rib eye, Crab fried rice which were all amazing. Just be prepared to pay but know that you are getting a one-of-a-kind dish, the best quality and freshest ingredients when you dine here. Get lost in little Thailand with its great deco, chill vibes and all in all a great place to hang and have great food with friends and family. Quit your FOMO and get here ASAP as I know I'm already making plans to bring more friends to enjoy this Isan cuisine. read more

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We had an excellent lunch this afternoon. Service was very polite and deferential...did it feel rushed or hassled or anything. We got quail egg wonton, the house special duck larb and roasted catfish. (And a nice touch, they carry Singha seltzer ) All three were really excellent. The larb is def spicy so the catfish was a nice "break." Really enjoyed our afternoon. Thank you! read more

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let me start off by saying the service is amazing! they're so attentive and showed us how to eat the food the proper way. our waters were consistently full. mieng pla pow salt crusted fish 11/10 -- the fish was perfectly cooked, so soft and tender. eating it in the wraps makes a perfect meal! prawn pad thai 8/10 -- i think it lacked some additional elements like egg and peanuts but maybe i'm just used to that. the noodles were also a little over cooked. the flavor was great though thai iced green tea 7/10 -- this was my first time trying it and deviating from my usual thai iced tea. it was so interesting, minty and florally? i really liked the florally green tea flavor. i was originally hesitant about the minty part but i grew to like it. would still stick to a regular thai iced tea mango sticky rice 10/10 -- this was $13 but so worth it. the sticky rice is infused with pandan juice which added a great scent. the mango was super sweet as well and everything combined so well would definitely come back, i'll dream about the fish read more

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I heard about zaab zaab before and wanted to try before they open in Tangram mall in Flushing. I ordered to go the Kapow (beef) and the Kao Pad Po (crab fried rice). I thought both were made well with a ton a flavor. The Kapow was too salty for me and my husband though, so we couldnt finish the dish in one meal- but thats not always a bad thing! We can mix some more rice for leftovers the next day. The Kao Pad Po was good. It reminded me of the chinese crab fried rice dish. Im not sure if i would order it from here next time. I feel like at the chinese restaurants, they provide much more crab meat than zaab zaab did. Overall, the bill came out to ~$47 for the two entrees. Kind of on the pricier side but worth a try. read more

Came back again for a weekend lunch, and I still love this place. We ordered zaab zaab fries, salt crusted grilled whole fish, grilled prawns, and crab fried rice to share among three people. There was more than enough food, and everything was delicious. In particular, the prawns were amazing, super tender and juicy. Service was great as usual, attentive and quick when you have a question or request. read more

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LOVE the crab fried rice here. Not super oily and generous amount of crab meat! We normally order this one along with Krapow and it's a perfect combo! read more

Zaab Zaab - Crab fried rice - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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We ordered Mieng pla prow (whole fish with noodle), chicken curry soup and papaya salad. The fish was way too salty for our taste and was the dominant flavor. The chicken in the curry soup was mostly bones with little meat. Food is also on the pricier side. read more

Delicious!! We had the tilapia and it was so well seasoned and delicious. Service was great. Best Thai I've had!

Decided to try this place on a Saturday night for dinner. When I initially arrived there, it was hard to get the staffs attention to ask if there were tables available for 3. One person told me no and then I asked another person and that person said yes. Thankfully we got seated. Ordered Thai iced tea and their iced green tea ( interesting flavor). Ordered their popular dishes but our fave is the crab meat fried rice. The fish dish that every table there ordered- to us was soooo salty. Even when eaten with the noodle and veggies- it was so so salty and even when we took the skin off too. Other than that, I wished there was more of a spicy kick to the beef larb. read more

Zaab Zaab - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I would go back to Zaab Zaab. That would be cheating though. So maybe I'll try another of their venues. Allow me to explain. I have one friend in New York City. I do not lack for friends. They just happen to live elsewhere. I also have a job that requires I remember the folks who report to me are valued colleagues. It is importantly to be friendly -- and decent. But nobody is my friend in the sense that my friend is; my compliment of him is he is useless to me (and I to him). So my friend and I have an informal project. I read about a club in Toronto, probably defunct after the pandemic, that ran for decades. A group of diners was trying to sample every restaurant listed in the phone book. They started back when there were yellow pages. That is what we're working on. We are not systematic (the Toronto folks, I believe, were proceeding alphabetically). But we have not gone back to the same spot. Otherwise we would not make progress. Thus Zaab Zaab. We have tried multiple Thai restaurants. My friend is always trying to learn languages. He studied the terms for ordering, the words for spiciness. He requested the dishes be prepared at the level that even native Thai would regard as hot. They apparently have "hot enough for foreigners" versus "hot as we would describe it." I can report that was a mistake. It was a good mistake. But it was a mistake. I can eat hot. This was searing. You could barely taste. Your tongue was rendered dysfunctional -- the type of hot you fear will damage taste buds. Of course, it is exhilarating. It was what we wished for, another warning about you might not want what you believe you want. The details other than this is inconsequential. But when we walked out, we knew we had had an experience. You feel alive, renewed. I'm glad we challenged ourselves. We had that black crab. It must be soaked in seasoning. Actually, I looked it up. It has been brined. It is an acquired taste. I would eat it happily enough. I can see, however, if you were expecting a crab like in Maryland, this isn't it. Zaab Zaab is a place I'd like to bring out of town guests. That in part is to see if they can handle it. I'd have to train myself. It would be worth it. read more

Disappoted!!!!!!!! Last night i oredered Tum-Sua, but Tum-Sua look likes a soup. A lot of sauce.:-( read more

Zaab Zaab - Somtum or Tomyum /-; - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Very tasty, balanced and fresh. Great service! Not your average Thai place. Much better!

Zaab Zaab is a must try new restaurant in Elmhurst, Queens (NYT 3 stars). Get ready for a flavor & spice explosion with each bite. ORDER: Mieng Pla Pow - whole fish that you can wrap with noodles & lettuce, and don't forget the sauces! Enjoy :) read more

The food is good. Fresh and flavorful. Staff was rude though. One of the older guys that works there had such a terrible diva attitude and didn't seem like he could be bothered to attend to customers even though there was only 2 people in the entire restaurant. Talking to the bartender seemed to be more important. Thankfully one of the younger waiters was pleasant. Although the food was ok, I would not return due to the service. read more

Had a great meal at this authentic Isaan Thai restaurant. Was particularly impressed with the Larb Pad Udon (minced duck meat, roasted rice, and a multitude of traditional spices over greens), and Mieng Pla Pow (charcoal roasted salt-encrusted fish, which you eat in lettuce wraps). The food was the right level of spice for our palate. Service was very friendly and helpful. read more

Zaab Zaab - MIENG PLA POW - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Party of 5 with my friends after a free concert in Times Square last night. I think the Hall of Fame of authentic Thai cuisine in Queens will fall to Zaab Zaab. We ordered duck larb, its what they are known for with chopped liver, bird's eye chillies, they give you a side of lettuce, basil leaves to wrap your larb with. The food is pretty flavorful and tasty. I'm Asian and I have high tolerance for spicy food but their original larb is still SPICY. It makes my lip looks like the Kardashians lol. Then we ordered the sliced ribeye steak... this one is great, we forgot to order it medium nevertheless the meat is still decent and not chewy or dry even though it was cooked well done. Zaab executed this ribeye... well done to them. Then we ordered crab fried rice. It is a lighter color dish similar to young chow fried rice look... taste wise bussin, very generous with the crab meat. I LIKE that they dont skimp on their spices which is a very plus side, keep it authentic and you win foodie's heart forever. We also ordered their pad thai, quite impressed since its not overly sweet compared to many other Thai restaurants in the area. Pad thai is basic but still a good dish nonetheless. Overall we will come back for sure and trying out their other dishes. Unfortunately we would like to try their fish dish but they only serve tilapia and catfish... not my cup of tea, I prefer snapper flesh... Excellent meal to end the night with our comrades!! My picture doesnt justify it too well since we were just start eating it right away, haha. Please give it a try only if you folks are up for some SPICY finger lickin good food. read more

Zaab Zaab - Shrimp pad thai, sliced rib eye steak and Crab fried rice - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I walked in on a Saturday night around 6:30pm with my roommate, and we were seated immediately. The indoor space is on the smaller side, but there's a lot of seating and an expansive, covered outdoor area as well. The decor is bright and cheery, putting you in a fantastic mood. It's great that the food is just as fantastic. We got the zaab zaab fries, the prawn pad thai, and the kao pad pu (crab fried rice). All items were so delicious. The spicy seasoning added a nice kick to the fries. The pad thai noodles were beautifully tender and had a pleasant undertone of sweetness. And the crab fried rice melted in my mouth. Thai in Queens continues to blow me away - and it's so affordable as well! I would highly recommend this place to anybody looking for delicious, seafood-centered Thai food in Elmhurst. read more

Zaab Zaab - Top to bottom: prawn pad thai; crab fried rice - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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Wow, the duck ped udon...I haven't had such a battle with spicy food since I went to Adda a few years ago. I think my spice tolerance is no slouch, buldak black pack level, but this almost knocked me out. I had to order a Thai ice tea to help (imo their Thai coffee is better) on top of half jug of water. It was a back and forth war in my mouth, one bite food, 2 sips of beverage. I did not reach euphoria, but I can certainly relate to cartoon characters with steam venting out the side of head! Heat aside, this was very good, fantastic blend of heat and flavor, many different textures, on a few bites the duck pieces were super enjoyable. This was great for the first 1/3, before the heat escalated to death level. The crying tiger beef was also excellent. I liked one of the sauce, the milder spice level one with a hint of sweetness. The other was spicier and a bit bitter. Beef was grilled perfect, nice char, not too tough. I'll def be back to try other dishes. read more

Zaab Zaab - NEUR YANG - #whatkineats - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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Michelin star Thai?! Say less. The competition is stiff between Zaab Zaab and the other restaurants in this hub of authentic Thai food. Zaab Zaab features Isaan cuisine, a regional cuisine distinct from the southern dishes found in your typical NYC Thai restaurant. We came here with open minds, open mouths, and welcoming stomachs, ready to try out some new dishes. Unfortunately for me, my spice tolerance is not very high. I can only tolerate mild to medium level spice for most dishes, and our server cautioned us that most of the dishes marked as spicy could not be adjusted to mild. With that in mind, I ordered my go to crab fried rice, while my boyfriend ordered papaya salad and Gaeng Om Pork. My crab fried rice was every bit as mouthwatering as its description. Large chunks of fresh crab meat with some slight heat and the savory flavor of the fish sauce made this a very hearty dish. I tried my boyfriend's Gaeng Pork Curry as well, which was unlike any Thai curry I have every had. I'm used to curries with a creamy coconut milk base, which helps temper the spice. The herbs in this curry shone and gave the soup sparks of fresh, tangy, and sharp spice delivering blasts of dill, lemongrass, and lime. Those flavors dominate, but the heat from the chilies creeps up on your quickly. Though the freshness was inviting, I could not eat more than a few bites of this without gulping down water. Even my boyfriend, who can tolerate ghost pepper, had to take breaks to pat down his sweaty brow. Scouts of unique, regional Thai cuisine who love spice should definitely give Zaab Zaab a try. The interior is trendy, modern, and fun as are the dishes provided you can handle the heat. read more

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Delicious food and friendly service! My family tried chicken, fish, papaya salad, crabmeat fried rice, pork belly, skewers, vegetable curry. Mango and sticky rice for dessert. read more

This is AUTHENTIC Issan Thai. I am half Lao and Issan style food is closest to Lao cuisine. This place doesn't try to adapt the flavors for the western palette. It is amazing and I highly recommend this if you want something that tastes like your Thai auntie is making a home cooked meal. I will be coming back here again and I will recommend it to my friends. Also for reservations you can call! read more

Great Esan food, but the service was slow and the cramped space does not do any favors.

Service 10/10 Aesthetic 7/10 Food 3/10 We came here cause we saw it on timeout ny top 100 restaurants but a little disappointed.. This isn't your ordinary American Thai spot. it's super ethnic and not what we are use to eating when we go out for Thai food Nobodies fault besides ours for not looking at the menu before hand.. ‍ still an experience read more

Authentic Isan Thai food. Larb Ped udon (Larb duck) must order! If you can eat spicy, try their zaab Zaab spicy ! read more

Zaab Zaab - Larb Ped Udon - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I would give this place a full 5 stars if it weren't for the price! Otherwise, the food here is very authentic Thai Isan and very very tasty (just as the name translates to)! Don't tell my grandma, but they make their Gang Om Gai better than her's. Their papaya salad hits home for me too. If you want steak, the Neur Yang ribeye is super good. Nicely charred and comes with two dipping sauces, including a bitter one that's exactly how my aunties make it. Of course, eating here in person is always better than takeout. The service is very friendly and prompt. I highly recommend this place, but be warned that it's a splurge! read more

The flavors were good...perhaps maybe one dimensional, got three different dishes, flavors were too similar to each other. We ordered the Duck Larb with crispy duck skin. I asked the server where is the crispy duck skin?? I don't see it on this dish. He went Into the kitchen and spoke with someone. He returned and said we don't have it today and does nothing else to compensate for it. Sooo I'm guessing he figured we won't notice there weren't any duck skin so he didn't mention it. I noticed...I noticed. Not that $ is an issue, but the principles of hospitality, it would've been nice for them to offer something in lieu of read more

Service was great and food was great. The spicy level is on par for authentic Thai cuisine, but might be too high for people who cannot tolerate spicy food. Though the price point is a bit on the higher end. When we asked if the pad Thai could be made with chicken instead of prawn, but was told so. So something to be mindful for guests who have dietary restrictions. read more

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Incredibly stellar issan style Thai food in Queens. Be forewarned tho, this place serves everything spicy so you may want to order something a bit more neutral since even the papaya salad will bring a tear to your eye if you get it with some heat. The staff are friendly and the vibes are good. Very fun little modern spot that took me back to the days backpacking thru Thailand read more

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I ordered the duck laarb. I ate five bites and couldn't keep going. I chugged a Thai iced tea but it barely helped. I don't eat super spicy food and I wish they offered a milder version. This place is obviously authentic Thai but I am not sure the average American palate can handle it. read more

Service was terrible and regardless of the food, the negative experience was the takeaway from the meal. Our waiter was always in a rush and never had the time to explain anything. For one dish, he was so careless with the food that he pushed my plate off to my lap, spilling everything, sauce and all. No apologies. He even had the audacity to pretend nothing happened and just stood there as if the plate took a mind of its own and flipped on its own accord. No napkins, and not even a pretend to help clean up. Mistakes happen to everyone, but ignoring one does not make it go away. A happy meal was ruined with the extra bill of dry cleaning. Perhaps once you're popular enough, customer service and basic human decency go away to make room for the the new crowd. read more

I came here with low expectations because I've heard some mix reviews. I like to go to a new restaurant after it's been open a while so they can work out the kinks. I thought the service was just ok. The staff are basically order takers, they don't have any personality. Which is ok. The food came out much faster then what I heard so that was a plus. Now for the important part, the food. I found the food to be just ok. There was nothing special to brag about but it also wasn't horrible. We ordered 5 items. So I'll go over it one by one. 1. Grilled catfish- cooked properly, did not care for the marinate but you can only taste that on the skin. The dipping sauce was a bit sweet for my sister but I was ok with it. 2. Larb ped udon- if you told me this was pork I would believe you. It did not taste like duck to me but that could just be me. In terms of flavors it's was good not great. 3. Som tum pla rah (papaya salad with fermented fish sauce)- this dish to me was the most disappointing dish we order. I did not like it at all and they gave so little papaya too. Now when I say I don't like it it really says a lot because this is my favorite dish anywhere. I can literally eat this everyday. It was more on the sour side and the flavors was off. It could be the brand of fermented fish sauce they used that turned me off. I'm not sure what it was but don't bother with this dish. 4. Moo tod pla rah- this was just plain fried pork. Did not taste any marinate. The dipping sauce is the same sauce they used for the cat fish. 5. Koy Nuer- This dish is a raw beef dish. Kind of like a tartare. I'm glad that they have it on the menu because not too many places serve it. This dish was decent. Nothing memorable but they did get it right at least. In my opinion the flavors for this place is Thai flavors not esarn. It's suppose to be esarn food but it doesn't have the bold flavors that esarn people are use to. I should know I'm from Khon Kaen (esarn region). It's ok if you wanna try it and find your favorite dish here. But for me, I doubt that I would return. Nothing stood out to me. Another note is, the staff doesn't ask how spicy you want your dishes, so everything comes out on the low-medium spicy level. read more

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Fantastic raw shrimp som tum and the ga prow was also great. Nice and bright and with an open kitchen. Service was okay. The food is legit but the problem with this place is the insane prices, it's way overpriced. How can you charge $8 for a bottle of Singha beer and $12 for a local draft beer? Makes me consider other places that are a little more realistically priced within a close walking distance. read more

11/12/2023. Went back and ordered their signature cumin salt baked whole fish, and it was amazing. Something you would order at a Thai beach restaurant: fresh fish with lettuce wrap, rice noodles, fresh herbs and two sauces on the side. The papaya salad and Drunken noodle dishes were also excellent. We will be regular customers. Left feeling full and satisfied. read more

The food was so great. My favorite is Larb ped dish. I wish I could have more room in my stomach to order more food. The service is good and fast. Zaab Zaab is my no.1 Isan Thai style food in nyc for me. read more

Zaab Zaab - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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I enjoyed the food as I went for lunch. I went to the Queens location and I was surprised how expensive it was. App, papaya salad and Thai coffee= 50 bucks! read more

This place literally opened up near my house this year and seeing it grow so fast made me want to try it! My party and I got the Nuer Yang and Mieng Pla Pow, which were pretty solid, especially the Nuer Yang. That ribeye is to die for with their great selection of sauces! I loved the DIY aspect of the Mieng Pla Pow by creating your own wrap, but I will say the fish was very salty so the greens + noodles were to counteract that saltiness. I was very surprised at the texture and taste of the noodles, which were my favorite part of that dish! I recommend a visit here and since it is next to my house, I want to try other dishes here since they do have some creative ones. read more

Zaab Zaab - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York