We came in for a post-work nosh with a group of 6. We arrived at 5:30pm, which is opening time, so we didn't have any wait and had the place to ourselves for a while. Their drinks are strong. Great bang for your buck. I had the pork slider and wow wow, it was so flavorful and tender. Would 10/10 recommend. They had these dumplings that are basically rice rolls wrapped around shrimp, which were just OK. I think I would've preferred regular dumplings. Staff were very nice and service was very attentive. I would definitely come back for post-work nosh and drinks again! read more

A wonderful addition to the area and great for large groups! My group was seated in the back, which put us away from the smaller parties in the front, which was great for all diners, probably. The fried chive cakes is a must-try, and I also liked their mini dumplings! For main, I got the panang curry with mock duck. So good! Menu says medium, but it was on the milder side for me. The portion size was enormous, and I had a good amount to take home. My dining companions also enjoyed their meals, including one who was trying Thai food for the first time. The restaurant is so spacious! And I always enjoy being able to see the kitchen. I also appreciated that they refilled my hot water pot for the tea I ordered. read more

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Such a neighborhood gem that I had the pleasure of trying for the first time tonight, and it did not disappoint! We ordered a selection of dishes that were all incredible: the homemade chicken puff pastry was flaky and flavorful, the honey moo slider was juicy and packed a punch of sweet and savory goodness, and the "In Honor of the King" dish was an absolute standout--truly fit for royalty! The mudsamun curry with beef had the perfect blend of spices, with tender beef that melted in your mouth. Not only was the food exceptional, but the atmosphere was absolutely charming. It's the perfect spot for a casual date night or dinner out with friends. The service was top-notch--attentive without being overbearing--and the prices were more than reasonable for the quality of food and experience. I will definitely be back! Highly recommend! read more

Lil Chef Mama - In Honor of the King - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Tried Lill Chef Mama for the first time last week and had a wonderful experience. I went for lunch with a friend and we both got the lunch special which came with 3 mini entrée portions plus rice. This is such a cool and innovative option. I loved it! All three of my choices were delicious! The service was great and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the space was well decorated.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I highly recommend others to try it out. I will definitely be back! read more

Loved this place! Had some fun floral decor and a large space with fun seating arrangements. Our waiter was extremely kind and fast, and the food was AMAZING These portions were huge and insanely spicy (real Thai spice). Loved absolutely everything we got. Don't miss the honey pork sliders -10/10! read more

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Honestly decent Thai food, but isn't worth going out of the way for. It's not the most conveniently located place if you aren't already in FiDi. Very easy to get a table on a Sunday night. It was weird because by default they only give forks (not chopsticks). Pad Thai ($18) - came with a generous amount of pork. The pork was a bit dry though. The flavor was on point and a decent portion size. It wasn't mind blowing though. read more

Lil Chef Mama - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

If you're in FiDi and looking for decent Thai food that doesn't break the bank, Lil Chef Mama is the place to go! This quaint, instagrammable restaurant was a nice break from eating takeout in our living room and only a 5-10 walk away from our apartment. Especially if you live in the 15 Cliff building, this is literally by your front door so everyone should come here. Their menu has so much and literally every Thai craving you could possibly have. My husband and I ordered: -Thai Iced Tea ($5) - not made from powder, very well balanced -Drunken Noodles aka Pad Kee Mao ($16) - big portion -Spicy Chicken Leg Chiang May Noodles ($16) - very flavorful, big portion Their kitchen is open-style with 2 dedicated chefs to work the woks (that's why the food tastes so good). Also I love how honest they are, when we walked in (it was Christmas day lol) they disclosed to us that the wait for food might be at least 30-40 mins due to the large amount of takeout orders and other seated guests there were. We weren't in a rush and just wanted to get out of the house so we opted to wait. But in reality, our food came within 15-20 mins so we were pleasantly surprised. Will definitely be back for their pad thai, pad see ew and curries. Can't wait to come back! read more

Lil Chef Mama - Spicy Pad Kee Mao ($18) - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Great food and service. We were seated quickly. Drinks were perfect. Service was notably good. Spics level perfect.

Great Thai restaurant in FiDi, I got Thai iced tea, roti, and drunken noodles. Everything was great and the roti was outstanding! Have been back several times. read more

Lil Chef Mama is in the crevice of a small side street, but once you step inside, the restaurant is welcoming, spacious, and beautifully decorated. The menu is straight forward and contains all the basic dishes that you would expect at a Thai restaurant, plus some specials. I asked our waitress for some recommendations and she suggested the Ba Mee Hang which is one of their special dishes. So different than what I would typically order and I enjoyed every bite! The noodles and shrimp were tossed in a garlic and fish oil sauce, so clean tasting. More of an upscale ambiance than many Thai places in NY. Would return for their tasty, shareable meals! read more

Lil Chef Mama - Bamee Hang - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Nicely decorated space with delicious Thai food. I ordered the Pineapple Fried Rice with sweet sausage ($19), which was very high quality and included all the fried rice ingredients you would want including egg, pineapple, cashews, and some veggies plus raisins, which were a nice addition for a bit more sweetness. They gave a lot of sweet sausage, which was delicious. I have a very strong feeling the pineapple chunks in there were from the can though and although I personally actually find these canned pineapples to be pretty decent, it's certainly not as fresh as it would be otherwise. I also tried the Kang Dang Curry with beef ($23), which was spicy and had a great curry flavor. The bamboo was a nice addition. I got a whole coconut ($8), which offered fresh coconut juice and coconut meat. The prices here were about in line with what you'd expect. The restaurant itself is very nicely decorated with a wooden Thai style. There are fake but aesthetic flowers hanging down from overhead and an open kitchen. There is also a nice little candle kind of light at each table. The staff were very friendly and attentive. The service speed was fast. Overall, Lil Chef Mama earns a very solid 4 stars from me. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for Thai food in FiDi. read more

Lil Chef Mama - Pineapple Fried Rice with sweet sausage (left) and Kang Dang Curry with beef (right) - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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This restaurant is so pretty! I loved the decor and the vibes. The service here is phenomenal (not sure about everyone else... but I loved my waiter!). The shrimp dumplings were pretty good but I wish it came with more. I was not a fan of the chicken leg-- i felt that it was a bit dry. I liked the noodles and the sauce though. My boyfriend also really liked the tangy flavor of the pork belly soup. read more

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We went here for dinner as a fairly large group and we had a reservation. Got seated relatively quickly and the wait staff was very helpful and attentive. Some of them weren't' very familiar with the menu unfortunately so when they brought out a couple of the dumpling dishes they didn't know what they were or what was in them which was a little unfortunate because we had a couple of people with some pretty severe food allergies so needed to be careful. The fried chive cakes and the fried calamari were really good. The dumplings were not bad but fell apart too easily and were hard to eat. The Spicy Chicken Leg Chiang May Noodles looked nice but didn't really hit the spot. They were too dry and one dimensional. The real dish comes with a soup not a sauce and the absence of pickled mustard greens and onions lost some key flavor elements. Overall the food was not bad but nothing to write home about either. The prices were what you'd expect given the location and the service was a mixed bag. read more

The restaurant opened up at noon and by 12:30pm almost every table was taken. I got the five spice pork bun and pad Thai, both were excellent. The food came out quick and was still piping hot. The overall scene was casual, but nice not like a run down hole in the wall. The service was good if you don't want to be bothered. The waiter brought me water and food and left me alone which I appreciated. Overall, I highly recommend this place for dining in. I've gotten takeout from here before and it doesn't travel well which made me hesitant about dining in, but worth it! read more

Lil Chef Mama - Chicken Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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A small Thai restaurant with beautiful decor, romantic vibes, and yummy food. Walking in teleports you to a peaceful place in Thailand from statues to greenery to dim lights. Also be prepared to eat because the portions are huge here! Pineapple fried rice was sweet and savory. Loved the sweet sausage and the raisins are a nice touch for sweetness. Spicy chicken leg Chiang May noodles came with a giant chicken leg!! The egg was nice and jammy. Very good value for price. Pad Kee Mao was flavor packed and smoky. Everything was great here - recommend getting the whole coconut for drinks! You get to drink the coconut and then eat the coconut meat afterwards. read more

Lil Chef Mama - Pineapple Fried Rice - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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My new favorite go-to in the neighborhood. Where should I start? Well the food is delicious. I love the curry, and the wife gets something new every time we go. Then there's the service - which is top notch! [[HIGHLIGHT]]And the decor is really pretty.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]A great place to take your date.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We found this great restaurant on yelp after walking around NYC. We had the best absolute experience with the food & service. The best part of the experience, we were treated like family even though it's our first eating here. Chef Mama is the best and i highly recommend it. read more

So glad we found a great Thai place in FiDi. The food was delicious with great service!

Staff was really nice when my husband and I came here for lunch last week. I'm reviewing this as someone with Celiac disease - I can't have gluten. All soy sauce contains wheat, which has gluten. I let our server know and she nodded that the basil chicken that I was ordering was good to go. After I ordered my husband was adamant that it wasn't gluten free so we flagged the waitress down and asked if it had soy sauce in it, because then I can't have it. She was like, "oh yeah, it does." I switched to the $12 chicken green curry. My husband was suspicious that the veggie rolls that I got weren't gluten free because of the wrapper but they looked like rice noodles to me. They tasted good but were a little pricey at $10. My husband got the $10 karee puff and the $12 5 spice pork belly soup. It's so important for restaurants to label menus with allergens as science becomes better and more people get tested and are aware of autoimmune issues that prevent them from eating certain foods. It's an accessibility issue that is easily remedied by going through ingredients in the kitchen and marking it down on a menu. This also prevents order changes and prevents waitstaff from needing to check ingredients on the spot. Food tasted good and service was attentive, but be extra careful and stick to curries if you have Celiac. read more

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This is located close to South Street Seaport and the IPIC movie theater. The restaurant may not look like much from the outside and is tucked away on a side street, but from the second you walk in the door the place has an incredible ambiance and instantly transports you to Thailand. The service was very good and they are willing to accommodate any modifications you ask for to the food. They also have a Vegan option for many of their dishes. The Chive Cakes were very tasty and had a nice crisp on the outside pulpy sake options are tasty and come in a nice little bottle. They serve it to you in a nice little sake cup to sip on (see photo). Ordered the pineapple fried rice (with chicken) without raisins. Big portion and very delicious. I would definitely recommend and will be visiting again soon. read more

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Serviceable but not elevated Thai food. But very cool decor and nice sake. Not bad for something quick and reliable.

Love this place for a low key night in Fidi! Their spring rolls are soooo delicious. The Tom yum soup is citrusy and delicious. The grilled steak was great and the sauce was the perfect combination with the fried rice as well. Service was great and the restaurant is decorated beautifully! read more

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From the minute you walk in the place has this serene vibe. Beautiful botanicals - almost forget it's NYC. My party was seated promptly- we came for lunch and it wasn't hectic. The staff was very welcoming and attentive. I do wish the tables were set before we were seated, but that was a minor thing. We ordered a variety of things on the menu and everything was delicious. You just try the papaya salad if nothing else, but the veggie dumplings and chive cakes were delicious too. Everyone loved their entree - I had the noodles with the whole chicken leg which was a large serving, but delicious. I highly recommend this spot. Good for an intimate dinner of for large groups. read more

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Overall average. Quality of the food was okay, service was okay, restaurant setting was okay. We ordered papaya salad, shrimp dumplings and drunken noodles. Papaya salad was too fishy for me, the shrimp dumplings were good, and noodles were acceptable. Wished the experience was more outstanding given some of the reviews I had read. read more

My friend and I were just looking for a place to eat nearby and happened to find this restaurant. When you walk in, it feels very fancy and is well-decorated which was nice and would be a good place to go for dates or hangouts! We ordered pad thai and it was pretty solid (I asked for extra spicy and they were able to do that, which is great). We also ordered the wrapped shrimp (not pictured and forgot the name) which was really good to share. The waiter was very friendly and the food came out pretty fast as well. I would come back here if I am in the area again! read more

Lil Chef Mama - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

The noodles had great wok hei. The only issue I had was when I was paying, I was not notified there was a 3.5% Credit Card Surcharge added to the bill. I was only shown the Total Amount and the Tax. Unfortunately, i only found out when I got home and saw the receipt. read more

Love the ambience! . Great authentic Thai food served with pride! Everythig we had was awesome---pad thai and massaman curry fabulous! Love this place! read more

The pork & shrimp fritters are tasty, comes with a sauce, Tom yum soup with shrimp is good balance of tangy & salty, large portion, Panang curry with chicken is spicy good. Decor is dark with hanging floral greenery, table has its own lamp, there are 2 other small levels of seating including a long bar counter for stools, big open kitchen, 1 gender neutral restroom. read more

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Soooo good and the service is so nice. Good for takeout and dine in. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is also very beautiful.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

What an absolute gem! This small hole in the wall is so adorably decorated and the food is delicious! We had a group of 5 on a girls trip and we decided to just order an assortment of items and we loved it all! The employees are wonderful and we had the best time. Absolutely recommend supporting this small business!!! read more

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I feel so bad riding this review because everybody at the table really loved their food. However, I got the chicken pad Thai and the chicken smelled like poop. read more

He's Thai Food in NYC hands down. It's a hidden Gem in FiDi. Highly recommended to anyone looking for good Thai food in NYC.

There aren't many good, affordable places in fidi, but this is definitely one of them! I've been here several times now (sometimes multiple times in the same weekend!) and I do plan on being a regular here. The interior is pretty nice, albeit a bit off-putting at times with string lights that blink in odd intervals. They also have all sorts of seating from regular dining tables, to picnic tables with benches, to bar seating. Pad Kee Mao - 4.5/5 Would have given this a five if quality was more consistent. Sometimes, there's very little sauce and relatively low quantity, while other times it's overflowing with sauce and quantity. Overall though, one of the best plates of pad kee mao I've had, although it is quite mild in terms of spice levels. Pad Se Ew - 3.5/5 Very standard Pad Se Ew. Unless if you have an incredibly low spice tolerance or just really like sweet things, would opt for the Pad Kee Mao instead. Ped Panang Curry - 3.5/5 Even though on the menu it says to order 30 min in advance, in all the times I've been here, I've never had to wait more for this than any other dish on the menu. With that being said, the curry itself is quite good, but the meat is dry. Not sure if this is the case, just for the duck or also the other Panang curries. The rice is also a bit undercooked/hard, but not a dealbreaker. read more

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Lil Chef Mama is an oasis in FiDi, serving delicious Thai food. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is garden and village-like, as if you've been transported to a local restaurant you've been to in Thailand.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is caring and quick to respond. Ask your server for recommendations, they will suggest according to your taste. I enjoyed the seafood dishes - pan-fried fish and a seafood medley with basil sauce (the server knew then I am pescaterian). [[HIGHLIGHT]]Bring a date or bring your family. Either way, the experience will be enjoyable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Mixed on this one. Food was solid, I had Tom Ka Gai Coconut soup and the mango sticky rice for dessert.

Let me be clear here I little bit people, I am not Asian, I have no Asian descendants and I have not gone to Asia. However!!!, I know about food, and not as a customer, as a professional cook, chef, however you wanna call it. Look the place is beautiful, cozy and the staff is super friendly. The portions of the food is quite a lot and they brought the food fast (it was not crowded at all). Now let's talk about flavor, where is the Thai basil? I know every chef have his own interpretation of food and flavors and they try to make something that could label them (us) as authentic, but my dude, you need to make this food taste THAI. The chicken in the pad Thai taste good, I can't complain about that, but the dish in general was overwhelmingly fishy, way to much fish sauce, like way too much, the Thai fried rice was lacking flavor, the pork in the rice pale and with no flavor. I am not trying to stop you to come here and try the food, you might like it if you have not tried Thai food before, but if you have, you could agree with me. read more

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10/10 dining experience, everything from the food to the service to the ambiance is perfection. Totally worth it! read more

Lil Chef Mama - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Food was great, definitely satisfied my Thai food craving. I ordered the chicken pad see ew and would recommend

After a long day of traveling, my partner and I decided we wanted to pick up some Thai in the neighborhood for dinner. We came across this spot and were overall very pleased with the food! Our favorite was the massamon curry (although the chicken was a little dry) and the honey pork slider (really 10/10). The pad Thai was good, however we probably wouldn't get it with the beef next time (it was dry too). The chicken satay would prob be best ordered there (not for takeaway). The restaurant looked spacious when I went to pick up the food too. Would def pick up again and potentially try some other dishes! read more

Lil Chef Mama - Massamon curry (8/10), pork slider (10/10), chicken satay (7/10), beef pad Thai (8/10), white rice - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Lil Chef Mama is your typical Thai restaurant. While it's a bit pricey, it's not abnormally expensive by NYC standards. I felt like getting something with noodles or a curry, but I ended up ordering the Pad See Ew. We also ordered some vegetable dumplings which were okay, but I wouldn't get those again. The ambiance is very nice and relaxing. It's a great place to talk over food even though the food is about average. read more

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