Sam Y.

4.5 overall. A decent sized place with a bar (no liquor license yet, but they're trying for it! BYOB until then) and games to play. Lots of metered street parking. There were 8 of us (a couple of us carpooled) and we did not have trouble finding parking. Since there were 8 of us, we were able to try almost all their dishes! The bathroom is large and beautifully decorated florally. Mimi (the co-owner with Chef Shane) was informative and attentive. She helped us decide portion sizing and answered any questions we had. The water comes infused with citrus, adding a refreshing taste. We all opted to get other drinks as well. I opted for the Calico Calpico. It was balanced with the sweetness of the calpico and salted rim. Did not taste much of the oolong tea, though that is a lighter flavor. Must gets: The Golden Crab Bao was loaded with tender snow crab stuffed into a crispy bun. The creme fraiche and yuzu tobiko add a lovely balance. The Roasted Bone Marrow came with soft toast. Gotta eat it quick while it's still hot! The marrow was delicious and went well with the toasty but soft bread. There is a little bit of meat still on the bone for those who enjoy gnawing on bone! The Fresno Gouda Cornbread had a nice kick from the jalapeno. Perfectly crispy outside and soft inside. The Chicken and Mochi Waffle is a great twist on a classic dish. The salty and sweet soy garlic maple syrup went well with the crispy chicken and toasty squishy mochi waffle bites. I love how shareable this dish since it's bite sized! The Rice Noodle Rolls were flavorful, soft and chewy. Just wish I wasn't so full by the time this came out. I would have eaten much more! If you love...then get: The Endives Salad is a little strong with the vinaigrette. It does help balance the bitterness of the endive, but only get if you love endives. The Stir-Fry Peashoots was a big portion! It stayed pipping hot and was flavorful. I love pea shoot and this is a great version. The Mala Tots have a strong tingly kick, which can be cooled down with the delicious dip. I just wish there was more dip! The Charcoal-Seared Scallops is buttery deliciousness. It was seared perfectly. The pickles helped balance the richness. The Pork Ribs were fall off the bone tender and had a good little kick from the gochujang. The melted mozzarella went well with the spice. The sweet potatoes are on the side. Can skip: The Milk Bread is a bit small in size. Wish they were bigger so I could really taste the fluffiness. The honey butter is a tasty addition though. The Salmon Seaweed Crisp is a decent portion size. Fresh seafood atop a crisp with the wasabi crema hidden beneath (which I couldn't really taste). The BLT Fried Rice was loaded with bacon and tobiko. It felt more like a sticky rice than fried rice, but that is probably from the baconnaise and soy-cured yolk. Not a texture I am expecting with fried rice. The Pork Belly Wrap had cripsy pork, a few pieces of lettuce (we requested more), a tasty peri-peri dip, and pork rinds that was break your teeth hard. Besides not being able to eat the pork rinds at all, the dish was forgettable. Desserts were hard to judge since we were so full and only had a bite: The Asian Pear Sorbet was chilled and sweet. Nicely presented. The Persimmon Cake Roll wasn't too sweet. Not memorable though. The Milk Tea Pudding was super sweet, but did have a strong bergamot flavor. It was a looser consistency than expected. Wet wipe given at the end, which is great for those who opt for their boil or burger (neither of which we ordered, but would be interested in trying!)

Mike S.

TLDR: Just go to Driftwood and thank me later. Crab Bao, Roasted Bone Marrow, Rice Noodle Rolls, BLT Fried Rice and Pork Ribs are must tries. To get a sense of what Driftwood is about you should check out their about page on their website: https://www.driftwoodnyc.com/about "Driftwood is inspired by Chef Shane Kim's childhood as a first- generation Asian-American growing up in the Southwest and his affinity for comfort food. Combining his heritage, story, and experience working at fine-dining and casual establishments with French culinary training, Driftwood is Asian-Americana showcasing Asian ingredients and flavor with nostalgic American comfort food. With his partner and chef Mimi Chen - a small team with a big heart bringing something different to the great town of Maspeth." This all makes for an interesting remix of dishes and flavors. I love seeing the passion of behind the scenes chef Shane Kim and front of house hospitality and co-owner, Mimi Chen. There is much to love about Driftwood, although this is a 5 star review I can't say every dish hit the mark with me, or was executed perfectly.. but its not about perfection, but admiration for the spirit and potential of Driftwood hitting its stride. Here is my breakdown and hopefully constructive criticism: As of this writing Driftwood does not have its liquor license, but it has an interesting mocktail program along with teas and soft drinks. I've tried a few and I can't say any of them stood out. Looking forward to when they can serve alcohol. Do not miss dishes: The Rice Noodle Rolls I would consider one of their signature dishes - The brown butter soy sauce combined with shrimp flavor the tender rice rolls almost transforming them into scallops. A hit of lime bring brightness to this dish that everyone I spoke to raves about. Get this! BLT Fried Rice was the other dish I heard my friend Jo exclaim she may like this slightly better than the Rice Rolls.. Neuske's bacon, red yuzu kosho, baconnaise, salt cured yolk and Tobiko will make you forget about the unlisted L. Golden Crab Bao - these crispy buns with tender snow crab mixed with creme fresh has citrusy yuzu tobiko tying these baos up with a bow - a real gift. Roasted Bone Marrow - This is what bread and butter wants to be when it grows up. The crispy outside and fluffy inside toast pieces were perfect with this decadent marrow - I could have eaten this all! Pork Ribs - I loved the smoked gochujang sauce on this the melted mozz adds a comforting blanket. Get this with a side of fantastic Fresno gouda cornbread, eat then nap... Great Dishes: Mala Tots - The crispy tots with spicy powder blend has a kick that sneaks up on you. Chicken & Mochi Waffles - classic chicken and waffles with an Asian twist - delicious and so sharable. Good with the mala tots if you like spicy with your sweet. Stir-Fry Peashoots - I'll take peashoots in any form. Get your greens in. Missing the mark: Milk Bead - I don't know the cost of the ingredients or technique that go into making this but 5 mini buns for the cost does not seem worth it. They should be larger. If these were served like parker house rolls bursting from a small pan it would be more impressive. Nice flavor though. Salmon Seaweed Crisp - I just expected more flavor and maybe the dish sat for a bit the seaweed wasn't crisp. Endive Salad - overdressed making for soggy endive it could use a lighter touch. Charcoal-Seared Scallops - maybe I didn't try enough of this, but it wasn't that memorable. I need a re-do! Pork Belly Wraps - the fried rind was hard and unbreakable - could not chew. Pork belly wasn't as tender as I would like and missing spice. Rice was too mushy for me. Did not try the burger or boil on this occasion, but although I am not a big boil fan I had it at an event and the flavor is very good and ingredients very fresh. I am Driftwood fan and I look forward to coming back maybe with less people so I don't have to share so much good food!

Cyrus T.

The portion were small. It is like tapa place. You can see from the picture that there were on few piece of milk bread. What is good. The crab bao was amazing. Mala tot is enjoyable. Never have this type of flavor in a potato tot, so I thought it was interesting. The earl grey pudding is also recommended. The rest chicken waffle, BLT rice was ok. The calico drink was too small for its price. $9 for 3 sip. It just taste like calico mixed with orange soda.

Kristy L.

The ambiance was super cute for a little town's seafood boil. It's such a chill vibe to go with their friends or family. They even provided some games for you to sit and wait with. The service was great and quick. Even when they accidentally spilled water on us, they helped clean it up quickly and provided a nice discount for the inconvenience. The food was pretty good for the most part. The pear dessert wasn't that good tbh. It lacked some taste for it being a dessert and they have a weird aftertaste. The ribs were pretty good and the rice hit the spot. The seafood boil was okay but it lacked some taste and we wished that they would allow us to add more into the seafood boil. But overall, this place is good for a small town food.

Chun M.

First review of 2024, we took over Driftwood! This new Asian inspired fusion restaurant in Maspeth is conveniently located just off the LIE. For our team holiday party, we reserved the entire restaurant for the evening, which turned out to be a perfect size to accommodate 32 people at all the tables, plus an additional 5 could have been seated at the bar, but we didn't need it. For the festivities, it was BYOB, but a unique mocktail menu was also provided. Our servers were extremely nice and took care of us the whole night. For each table, we shared served tastings from select menu dishes with preparations and flavors from mainly SE Asia. The chef obviously took great care in evolving the menu using some unique ingredients. Our menu consisted of 10 courses and though each dish seemed small to be shared by 4 people at each table, we soon found ourselves very satisfied and some tables even had leftovers. We started with the Crawfish Rangoon with cheesy crab stuffing and a spicy pepper dip, followed by the crunchy Chayote Tea Salad, Mala Tots and a deconstructed sweet and spicy Chicken and Mochi Waffles. Some of my other following favorites were the BLT Fried Rice with bits of bacon and topped with a soft egg yolk to be gooey mixed into the rice and the Golden Crab Baos topped with fish roe that popped in your mouth. The Charcoal Seared Scallops were good, but they left me hanging because I wanted more. The last 2 savory dishes were the Pork Belly DIY lettuce, rice & cucumber wraps and the Shrimp Rice Rolls, both very tasty dishes. Finishing up, was a cup of the Ear Grey Milk Tea Pudding, very sweet with crumblies on top. It was a special dinner to remember. I cannot wait to come back to try the seafood boils I've been seeing and I know there are menu items I've missed!

JiHae L.

I wanted to try a new place and decided to go here as it is an asian fusion place. The service was great and the decor was very modern. However, the food left me desiring for something even better. They still need a liquor license, so hopefully, they are working on it. Maybe their menu needs a bit of work. Food wise, we got the mala tots, which was supposed to be spicy but wasn't to me. The BLT fried rice was good but had a weird after taste to it. The chicken + mochi waffles were alright, but something was missing from it. The main dish that I ordered was the boil since all the other Yelp reviews raved about it. Got the driftwood special as the sauce, and that didn't taste good with what I ordered, which was shell-shock. I also got a special order of knots inside, too. All in all, unless something is done about the menu, I won't be returning.

Olivia S.

For Asian influenced comfort food, Driftwood definitely hits the spot. When our starters came & I started munching on a bao, I knew we were in for a treat. I LOVED all flavor profiles of each of the dishes we ordered from the mala tater tots to the fried rice rolls. Driftwood is definitely a resto you should go out of your way to check out!

Mable C.

I came here for an event a year ago for their grand opening and ever since then, I've fallen in love! Fusion food really has to be done right or else it can immediately clash. Driftwood has such a modern and unique take on traditional dishes. Every time I've come so far, they have different seasonal items on their menu that offer a brand new dining experience for me. This particular time, I ordered the lamb chops, chicken and mochi waffles, and seafood boil with their classic driftwood sauce. The seafood boil is absolutely incredible. It has heat, acidity, and salt - a recipe for success. They provided very generous portion of fresh seafood, smothered in their addictive sauce. There was such a variety of things including shrimp, clams, sausages. mussels, corn, potatoes and even crab legs! The chicken and waffles were fun and unique as the extra chewiness of the mochi made it particularly enjoyable to eat. My partner particularly loved the lamb chops. As a person who doesn't like lamb, I too loved the flavor of the lamb chops. Each aspect of the dish worked so harmoniously together. The creamy sauce, the spicy and salty crust of the lamb, as well as the sweet jam. I also can't forget their unbelievable desserts. I don't remember the exact name of the dish, but they were both delicious. The Earl Grey panna cotta is a regular on their menu for a reason. The aroma of Earl Grey is a stand out in this dessert.

Ryan Y.

Driftwood [4/5] We were interested in Driftwood's take on Asian inspired American comfort food. We ordered take-out: Golden Crab Bao ($17) - Snow crab meat, topped with crème fraiche dressing and yuzu tobiko inside a lotus left bun, with a lemon on the side. This was good, but I wish there was more crab inside because the sweet snow crab flavor can get lost in the bun. Adding a few drops of lemon brings a fresh citrus taste too. BLT Fried Rice ($22) - Rice stir-fried with nueske's bacon and red yuzu kosho baconnaise, topped with tomatoes, lettuce, soy-cured yolk, and tobiko. The rice has a sticky rice feel. I wish there was more lettuce and tomatoes in the dish to give it more texture, but overall I enjoy this dish. Rice Noodle Rolls ($18) - Includes rolled up rice noodle, rock shrimp, parmesan, roasted peanuts, and brown butter soy sauce. This is my favorite dish of the three. The rice noodle rolls were soft and chewy. The shrimp tasted fresh. The restaurant décor is modern, and ambiance felt calm. The staff was welcoming and greeted us with a smile.

Patrick K.

We shared the BLT fried rice, Bone Marrow and Driftwood Boil. Everything was delicious. My absolute favorite was the shrimp and crab. Having said that, everything was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. The service was very attentive and the ambience and decor was cute. Definitely coming back to try other dishes. I'm eyeballing you Mala Tots and Driftwood Wagyu burger

Yae-Jee H.

Driftwood is definitely a spot I'm going to come back to! We were greeted warmly by the waitress (who I now realize is the owner lol) and seated immediately. We weren't very hungry because we had eaten a couple hours prior so we decided to order a few appetizers to share. Milk Bread- the bread was so soft and warm. The buckwheat honey butter complimented the bread really well. Mala Tots- if you like Mala, this is the one for you. I thought it was overpowering but I brought leftovers home to my aunt who absolutely loved it. Golden Crab Bao- the creme fraiche dressing, tobiko, and bun were are great but I thought the crab could have been a little more moist/ tender. A fresh component (maybe some sort of veggie) could have added moisture to it. My boyfriend said he liked it the way it came. Side order of Mac and Cheese Corn- I couldn't quite put my finger on what made it so good but it was delicious. I'd order as a full appetizer if it were available lol. As for our drinks, Text on the Beach & Dragonwell Lemonade were soooo good. My boyfriend said it looked like they were waiting on a liquor license since the bar shelves were empty. I can't wait to come back once they get their license!!! They also had an array of table games available which could be played while waiting for your food.

Marilu S.

I came here to say that I enjoyed my dining experience in this Asian fusion restaurant. The waitress was friendly and gave my boyfriend and I ample time to order our food. The food was delicious, I really enjoyed everything. The crab bao was my favorite. I thought it was a unique combination. The BLT combination with the fried rice was really tasty. The ambiance was great as well there weren't many people around my boyfriend and I on a Friday night. I actually enjoy these types of dining experiences more than crowded restaurants. There were two tables dining while I was dining. I almost forgot to talk about the lamb chops they were cooked at the perfect temperature. The lamb chops were so meaty and tender, easy to come off the bone. The lamb chop's white sauce and jam on top made the lamb chops superb. They had some games by the front by the bar as well. My boyfriend and I played the ring game for a bit while waiting for the food to come out. Food: 10/10 Experience: 10/10

Amy C.

10/10! Everything was great! The food was so delicious and flavorful I suggest coming here with a group of friends so you can try different things from the menu. The decor was aesthetic, the staff were super nice and helpful. The food came out very quick, and also did I mention this place is BYOB! So definitely bring a bottle of your favorite wine to enjoy your meal with! My favorite items were the Mala Tots as it has a unique flavor added to tater tots that you don't get anywhere else!