I came in for the popular "bento box deal," but it was already off the menu. So I ordered fried boneless chicken with rice and added Brussels sprouts plus a tofu-and-green-bean mix as my sides. The chicken satisfied, all the sauces delivered, and the tofu-bean combo tasted fine. Only the Brussels sprouts felt too crunchy and oily for my liking. Price-wise, it seemed reasonable. read more

Little Wayla - Lunch combo - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Decent little place for lunch. Food tastes good, but not much variety. I had a tofu entree and green beans as my side and the spice was exactly the same. It's a little pricey for what you get, but not a bad option. read more

We love this Thai lunch spot, it quick and well priced and limited menu perfect for a quick grab and go. read more

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

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Decided to check out Little Wayla for lunch today and was not disappointed! Their $5 lunch box ($5.44 with tax) includes rice, a veggie curry that was similar to massaman curry in flavor but not at all spicy, and mixed vegetables (broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, onions). Good portion for a light lunch and everything was flavorful if not super exciting. I enjoyed it--it's a good deal if you like veggies! I was told that the $5 lunch box is always the same dishes. There's also the option of a $10 lunch box where you get to choose three entrees over rice. The other entrees today were crispy chili chicken, tofu with string beans, and am eggplant dish. Apparently these dishes change every day. I'm looking forward to trying out some other dishes next time! Flavors don't seem as complex as the dishes at Wayla but everything was still tasty. Staff was super nice and happy to explain the options to me. You can eat in or take out. They're open from 12-3pm on weekdays so check them out! read more

Little Wayla - $5 lunch box with veggie curry and mixed vegetables on top - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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I stopped by for the lunch special. You get to choose 3 entrees in a lunch box for $10, and I think the options rotate daily. I got chili fried chicken, tofu and green beans, and green chicken eggplant curry. Everything was solid for the price, but not as much depth of flavor as I'd hoped. read more

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During the pandemic, Little Wayla's been serving up the community with incredibly affordable, authentically delicious $5 lunch boxes! Nothing like what you'd expect from a typical Thai takeout spot. From about 12-3pm on weekdays, sometimes they offer only one choice (usually a protein/meat with veggies) or two choices, which includes a vegetarian option. And since we're working from home now, we get to stop in all the time - it's been the best. Goodbye overpriced Midtown lunches, you are not missed at all! I believe they're always rice boxes (no noodles or any other "base") since it's the easiest to prepare, which is fine since the jasmine rice is always so fresh and so good. I've gotten the string beans and tofu combo a couple of times, the shredded curry chicken with bamboo another time, and once they offered these yummy (fried) hard boiled eggs that were soaked in a sweet soy sauce. These meals are very simple but they also have a bit of a spicy Thai kick to it, and always taste so homemade. My boyfriend and I are huuuge fans. Portion size is perfect for lunch, unless you are a big eater like my bf or want to save for dinner - then I'd recommend getting maybe 2 boxes per person. In addition, we always receive such wonderful service here. 10/10 neighborhood gem. read more

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The Wayla team just opened a little fast casual version right upstairs from the original restaurant. It's the pick a base plus proteins formula, but it's done extremely well. You can do greens, rice or sticky rice, and then choose among several proteins and vegetables. I tried rice with tofu & eggs and the ground chicken, which was nice and spicy. Definitely get a frozen Thai iced tea to cool down. read more

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I had just finished my driving lessons in the neighborhood and was STARVING. On my way home, I walked by a little Thai restaurant that seemed new and was eager to give it a try. The moment I stepped in, I felt fantastic! The fast restaurant was bright, spacious, clean, and simple. Just my type. It's minimalistic, yet comforting and welcoming at the same time. The two women working there were kind, attentive, eager to answer any questions I had, and made the process simple and quick. I was in and out in ~5 minutes. I got the three entree lunchbox with purple sticky rice (+ $1), pork jerky, broccoli/zucchini/brussel sprouts, and chicken curry. All of which were VERY delicious. Even my boyfriend (Thai food fanatic) approved. The only thing that I'm iffy about with the whole thing was the price tag. It was $15.19 for the lunch box, which I would say should have been $11 - $12 max. Definitely stop by for some quick and delicious Thai food if you're in the neighborhood, though! read more

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

Prepandemic, Little Wayla offered $12 lunch boxes with 2 choices of entrees. I'd have to say I prefer their post-pandemic $5 lunch boxes! They're smaller and the perfect portion size for lunch. Although my hubby sometimes gets 2 lunch boxes for himself depending on the selection. There's a rotating menu of 2 entrees. You can get both or just choose one. There's usually a vegetable and protein option. Although I've seen days where they serve meat patty and egg or all veggies. Their vegetable dishes are so flavorful, healthy, and delicious! Curries are also a must-get especially the chicken curry. The meat is soft, tender, and bursting with a kick of curry spice. I love Little Wayla! I could get it for lunch 3x a week and I often do. read more

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

Phenomenal lunch restaurant; if I could give it 6 stars I would. The fried chicken was fantastic, not overly breaded or greasy. Very bright and clean ambience with plenty of space to sit, both inside and outside. The guy behind the counter was very gracious and offered to let me sample the curries when I asked which was the most popular. Prices are to be expected for New York, around $13 - $15. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Little Wayla - Fried chicken, panang curry over rice, green beans, and carrots. - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Since work has never allowed me to visit Wayla (which opens only for dinner on weekdays and brunch on weekends), as an avid fan of Thai cuisine, I was devastated. However, I was blessed by a deity figure (probably a god of Thai cuisine who acknowledged my desperation) and Little Wayla gracefully stepped into my life. I read about their opening on Wayla's instagram account and immediately made my visit today, which was their second day of operation. I was probably their first customer of the day since I came in just 20 minutes after they opened. Food: I got a 3-entree lunchbox with: Soy Sauce Braised Egg and Tofu, Green Curry, and Stir Fried Cuttlefish with white rice. Spot on Thai comfort food! The level of flavors were just right and comforting. I appreciate the fact that the menu offers dishes that you don't usually find in most Thai restaurants. Give me Little Wayla's lunchbox everyday and you'll see the best version of me. The only itsy bitsy tiny complaint that I have is the portion of the rice was a little less than I expected, but the lunchbox at a whole is very filling. Bonus: when a Thai friend explained to me that Little Wayla means "little time", I thought it was brilliant and they did live up to the name, being super quick without compromising the quality. Service & Atmosphere: The place is insanely adorable. Vibrant colors and decorations that definitely help with boosting the appetite. I was greeted by two girls at the cashier, who were friendly and looked joyful. I was surprised that, even though the concept revolves around lunchbox, it wasn't very "to-go friendly". The plastic lid did not fit the compostable container, so they had to tape my lunchbox to prevent leaking (even though it didn't help much), and I ended up having to hold it in my hand the entire time I traveled. Plus, the container absorbed a lot of the saucy goodie from the entrees, which did make me a bit sad. But it's not something that bothered me. Understandably, there were certainly a few first day's minor hiccups, but it was great overall. For now, sit down at one of their cute tables, immerse yourself in the whimsical vibe, and enjoy their awesome food. You know I'll be there whenever I can. read more

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Came here for lunch and it didn't disappoint. It was a bit late in the day for lunch so they ran out of two of the items. I was a little sad, as I did want to try the yellow curry. Luckily, in the middle of assembling my second box, they replenished the two missing items! So I actually got to try almost everything, besides the broccoli which had pork in it. The chicken with bamboo was really good, had a bit of a kick from the peppers. The fried chicken was good. My only complaint would be I wished it was crispy. But not that bad considering it was sitting in a bit of sauce. The yellow curry and mixed veggies were good but I couldn't differentiate because the curry sauce got all over the mixed veggies. Overall a good meal and a great value at $10 a box. read more

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

I already LOVE wayla, and for some reason I'd always forget about Little Wayla. Well, i'm glad I finally tried it, because it is essentially the same quality and taste I love about Wayla except at a much more affordable price. Their $5 lunch boxes are an unbeatable price for what you're getting--a protein of the day (menu rotates so depends on what's there that day) with veggies over rice. I had spicy ground chicken with string beans with fried boiled eggs over rice, and it was simply DELICIOUS. I work in the neighborhood so I'll continue to try their other rotating dishes! read more

I lived in Thailand for 4 years, and though NYC has many fantastic Thai spots this is one of my favorites. Not only is the food top notch and the service great, but the atmosphere reminds me of a lot of the lunch places I would go to in Thailand. You just can't go wrong here! read more

Little Wayla is run by the same people as Wayla, 20 feet away. This is a great spot to get some quick lunch. It's mostly pick you own style (like dig-inn) with a few add-ons they will make on the spot like drinks and etc. I have gone twice and both times it's been delicious. I love their stewed egg dish with tofu, salmon, and the beef dish (maybe curry, I don't remember what the girl called it). It's quick which is key when you have only 30 minutes for lunch sometimes. People helping me have always been nice and explained the dishes to me. They also have a few tables if you want to eat in, but it's not table service. Overall, can't ask for much more. read more

Completely ideal lunch! Generous but not too big, good value, and stellar food quality. Always super delicious; the fried chicken is amazing- and they don't skimp on the curry. read more

Little Wayla is a little Thai lunch spot, upstairs from Wayla. Open for breakfast and lunch during the week, they have a lunchbox set where you can order 2 or 3 sides (curries, seafood, vegetables) along with white rice/salad/sticky rice. I had the green curry chicken, water spinach, and squid. All amazing though I wished the portion of rice was a bit larger and the water spinach a bit spicier. It's very affordable and for a lunch spot, they have plenty of seats. The decor is very bright, colorful and whimsical. I highly recommend getting the frozen Thai ice tea that comes with a sugarcane. read more

Little Wayla - Frozen Thai ice tea and lunchbox set - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

The bbq ribs were SO GOOD. I'm a huge fan of Thai food and this is one of the best I've ever had. The interior design and environment was also classy read more

Wish it was open longer! The food is great, always different options, and friendly staff.

I must have come on an off day because my portion was very skimpy. I saw they were advertising their $5 lunches in the window while walking pass. It was around 12:30 in the afternoon but they were out of the basil chicken so there was only one option. The fried curry chicken things. I'm not sure what they were called. The portion was very small. I got three pieces over rice. It was delicious but I wish there was a veggie side or bigger portion. read more

great hospitality in this little spot! lots of great options for everyone and super super affordable for new york prices! will definitely be back here to try more of their stuff! read more