If you want to get SICK, get LIED too and have HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. This is your restaurant. I don't know how they got a Michelin star. DO NOT ORDER THE HOT POT. The clay pot was cracked on the bottom and a piece of clay was in the soup. Instead of apologizing, the manager decided to ignore us and make us pay 50% of the soup. The manager who decided to lie to us saying she is just a worker yelled at us and said she was calmly talking to us when she wasn't. She was rolling her eyes the whole entire time. Not only did she belittle us, she also LIED to us. She said a cracked clay pot has no health effect and that they just brought the clay pot. I didn't know the manager was also a scientist. read more

Superb Thai restaurant. Lovely presentation. Pleasant and attentive service. Had the pad see yew and the chicken. Really delicious. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other menu selections! read more

Probably the best thai spot around. Casual, tropical decor within. There is patio seating as well. Good for small or large groups. Food/Drink: Don't come here for what you might find elsewhere - pad thai, pad kee mao, etc!! They do offer a shrimp pad thai but this place is known for way more than that. All the food is super flavorful - both sour and spicy. They do not hold back on the spice. Papaya salad - they make it fresh with a mortar and pestle and it was SO spicy. It was too spicy for most of the party. Crab fried rice - you get chunks of crab with egg and scallion fried rice. So delicious and good portion of crab with the rice. Neur yang (crying tiger) - probably my favorite dish. The beef is cooked to the perfect medium rare and it is super tender and flavorful. Larb - Also quite spicy but goes so well with rice and the lettuce/greens that it comes with. Tom Som Gai - tom yum soup that comes in a hot pot. The spice is so incorporated into the flavor of the broth and it hits you at the end, and it is so deceiving as the broth is not very red. Whole fish - there's a couple options but we ended up with the salt-encrusted tilapia. It comes on a banana leaf and there are noodles and veggies to wrap as well. It was a fun experience to eat but not my go-to as it was a little salty and so many bones, which I am too lazy to work with. Fried pork belly - it is as advertised. Fried pork belly. So delicious and complemented so well by the sauce. Service: They are super nice and walk you through the menu with much knowledge. They also warn you about the spice as well and it is not underplayed for sure!! Price: A little on the pricier side, given the dishes (beef, fish, crab) but justified and the food itself is so worth it. read more

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The place is quite small and cozy on the inside. Right out the doorstep it seems like you're eating at the front porch! Don't worry about getting cold bc the food is fire!! I called in advance to secure a table of 5 which was perfect before a rush of people came in. Ordered a bunch of food where some we had to request to lower the spice tolerance. Duck Larb - even though we had a mild spice, you can feel the tingle in your tongue lingering but in a good way if you can handle spicy food. You can taste the rich flavors that's well balanced. Chicken feet hot pot - if you do not eat chicken feet don't get it. The soup has a sour and spicy kick but not too much. I definitely couldn't down the whole bowl all at once. Kapow - I think this was my favorite dish. The thai basil and garlic melded well with the ribeye. Add some rice and it's delightful! Catfish - a bit on the dry side but it's a big piece of fish. I think it's marinated in tamarind to create the yellow color. Pad thai is alright. You get more tamarind flavor than the typical pad thai in other restaurants. Shrimp size and quantity is really generous. You would definitely need to order that thai ice tea beforehand. It helped me cut that burning sensation on my tongue and will save my bum hole tonight. read more

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Solid Thai place, had to try it after it's had so many positive mentions lately! Really cute interior, went on a weekend afternoon and it was not crowded at all. More on the menu I definitely still need to explore. Just a tip - the spicy levels are no joke I was sweating read more

Zaab Zaab - LARB MOO - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I went to this Thai place with one of my groups. They listed we'd be inside but with our size, we were sat outside which was a slight issue with the heat though it was covered. The chairs were a mix of semi uncomfortable and very uncomfortable and we were cramped. I ordered some lychee beer which was tasty. Service was fine and the food was fine though less spiced than some other Northern Thai spots I've been to being more similar to Sripraphai which was unexpected. We shared the following dishes Larb Ped U-don- Duck with charred galangal, fried liver and fried duck skin This was one of the well flavored dishes. Nice mix of textures and a good amount of heat. This was probably my favorite dish of the night but I am not surprised as I like a good larb and this definitely was a good one. Ka Pow/Ka Prao- Ribeye steak with hot basil, Thai chili garlic; topped with a fried egg; served with Jasmine rice This was an alright Thai basil dish. The ground meat was tasty and the egg worked quite well adding some extra richness. It wasn't as spicy as even some local Brooklyn spots but the flavors were richer for some reason (perhaps the higher quality beef or how much more the egg was mixed in compared to normal.) Pla Dook Yang- Rotisserie roasted whole catfish; marinated in cumin, garlic & white pepper; stuffed w.pandan leaves & lemongrass; served w.spicy Jaew Sauce The signature catfish was fine. It had a good roast but only the outside had strong spices. The inside was tender but not that flavorful. The "spicy" jaew sauce was more on the sweet end which didn't really work with the skin but it worked with the meat inside. Gaeng Om with Pork Loin- Traditional Northeastern herbal curry braised Thai eggplant, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves & dill Pork was good but the soup was very salty (enough so that even people in the group who like food on the saltier end found it too salty.) Wouldn't recommend much. Kao Pad Po- Fresh crab fried rice, served w.phrik nam pla (fish sauce, sugar, lime juice & garlic) Pretty good version reminding me to an extent of what I had in Thailand. Not overly oiled and some flavor though I have had better again. A bit pricey again for the quality. Our group didn't find a lot of the praise to be warranted outside of the outstanding larb. Their signature dishes weren't very good in particular but if I wanted good versions of most of the other dishes at these prices, there's even some Manhattan Thai spots which would fit the bill let alone some of the better spots in Queens. Low 3. read more

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Zaabzaab, Second Visit I often liked the bitter taste. That's normally true as I drink my espresso with no sugar. I often keep 90% ++ dark chocolate bar with me. I also love adding bitter melon to dishes such as in egg omelette, canned sardines, corned beef, sautéed beef, chicken tinola, bulanglang, sautéed oysters, etc ... but recently I met my bitter match. At the now trendy @zaabzaabnyc , one of the dishes is served with herbs that include #neemleaves . Neem is this SE Asian tree that are planted abundantly in the agricultural university where I used to teach. One of the professors then told me that aside from being medicinal it's also an effective pesticide. Apparently though, Northern Thais eat the pesticidal leaves of the neem tree. I heard about it's health benefits as oil and in small amounts as tea, but to be consumed fresh --- that's where I draw the line . It's so bitter like nothing I have ever tasted before. Everything else was good though --- beef lungs, pork belly, beef steak with larb and jaew sauce, and the Thai version of a kwekkwek. But still, I'm issuing a bitter alert, Elmhurst SE Asian foodies ‍ #neemtree #issancuisine #esarnfood #curious_eater #newyorktimesfood #criticallyacclaimedfood read more

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If you want some good thai food, this is the spot! I came here in a group of three and ordered three dishes with rice. The portions were decent for the price point ($71+tax&tip). Every dish was so flavourful in their own ways. The larb ped u-don was fire, literally. It was so spicy in an addictive way. the waiter told us it would be spicy, and we still didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. The rib eye was so tender and the sauces complemented the beef well. It was a nice break from the spiciness. The moo tod pla ra was such a good comfort food. The crispiness and spices were just simply beautiful. read more

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I was excited to try this new addition to Woodside. I have gone to many Thai restaurants there and excited to see a new face. We went at 6pm to avoid the Sunday crowd. Food: 5/5 We initially ordered the Quail eye wonton, Mieng Pla Pow, and a side of sticky rice. It was great. The Mieng Pla Pow was tasty and a great dish to share. The two sauces were absolutely delectable! The sticky rice was a nice addition. After still feeling hungry for more we ordered the Kao Pad Po. Excited to try it at home but know it won't be as good . Service: 4/5 Tbh, they were great and attentive when I first came in. We were sat promptly, we got our orders swiftly. However, once we got the Kao Pad Po everything went downhill.. Firstly, one of the servers asked if we were done after we had just placed the order with another server. Not a big deal, they are busy. Then we waited shy of 20 mins for the fried rice. At the 15 mins mark, I asked if they could just pack it to go since we had other plans. Very disappointing but, as the evening crowd came, I want to bail as soon as possible. All in all, I would go back but, be sure to order everything at once to avoid waiting. The food was tasty, fresh, and authentic. I just wish we did not have to wait so long for the Kao Pad Po. read more

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After a wonderful dining experience at Zaab Zaab, I tried their Som Tam papaya salad with raw shrimps. Bursting with flavor and authenticity, it's the closest Thai experience I've had in NYC. A must-try for any food lover! NR. read more

Zaab Zaab - SOM TUM THAI with Raw Shrimps - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Outstanding. I arrived at the start of the business day and had the most wonderful conversation with the owner. The decor is modern, fun, and playful from the ceiling to the walls. The service was fantastic--warm, friendly, fast. But the food was the star of the show. We both had the soft shell crab platter and it was as if we were in Thailand eating. It's so nice to see a menu where pad thai is barely mentioned. There are so many other wonderful dishes I can't wait to come back and try. And the shaved ice to finish had me feeling like I was back in Asia. Sublime flavors and great presentation. read more

I'm so trilled to say I'm disappointed in food. I'm so sorry that I had such a high hope of this restaurant representing from my friend suggested. She actually came with me this time but we had the same feeling, food is not good as we expected. To claim as an authentic Thai restaurant something weren't right about all food we ordered. - Mieng Pla Pow (Roasted fish) The most must try BUT....... 3/10: we didn't even finish half because fish wasn't fresh, dried and not juicy, dirty vegetable (with dirt), dipping sauce taste terrible. It isn't supposed to use tamarind. Do not ever invent a sauce for this dish like this again, didn't go well. So weird and in my life, I never have this menu with this type of dipping sauce before. It normally come with seafood dipping sauce or just spicy lime sauce. - Larb Ped U-Don (Duck salad, northeastern style) 9/10: this one is good, and we like it a lot. - Tom Zaab Pork Rib 7/10: this soup my friend like it, I'm ok - Kao Pad Poo (crab fried rice) 8/10: good job, my boo ate it all. - Hor Mok Catfish 5/10: Couldn't be better, kind of too salty and fish was smelly. Over unpresented food, I have to give a credit to our server who work very hard to take care of every table. The service was good, even it was busy but everyone helping and cover up to another person. My friend told me, their food was great exactly like the food in Thailand but maybe I came too late, they already changed. read more

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We came for Sunday lunch to celebrate my friend's birthday, and it was such an amazing experience! The food was very authentic, and I even tried some of the dishes that it's hard to find in the US, like the grilled fish, and soft shell crab. I asked for the extreme spicy level for my salad, and it was crazy! I needed to keep drinking the ice tea after each bite. But well it's for the experience! The bar tender and servers were all very friendly, and gave us nice suggestions for food to share among 8 people. The decoration of the restaurant was a blend of Brooklyn style and pacific feeling. read more

Zaab Zaab - Soft crab - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

Zaab Zaab is multihued and colorful that it is hard to miss it amongst the other Thai restaurants in Elmhurst. Specializing in North Eastern Isaan cuisine, I was excited to be having lunch here with friends. We sat inside and saw that there was covered outdoor seating. We read the menu extensively as the descriptions were detailed. Muriel ordered a chicken dish, Dee had the Prawn Pad Thai and I ate ground meat with rice and a fried egg. The Pad Thai was the tastiest out of the three entrees. I asked for soy sauce to put on the rice and was told that they only had fish sauce. The server who took our order kept coming over to ask if we were fine. I wish he had come less often. read more

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A newfound favorite! Zaab Zaab is great because for the few times I've been there, it doesn't get too crowded or loud. The service is great and fast, very attentive and polite. I'd recommend the Kao Pad Po (crab fried rice) and a Larb (minced meat wrapped in lettuce + greens). I find myself coming back for the crab fried rice multiple times now and have been delightfully surprised by the other accompaniments like the Larbs and whole fishes. We've also tried the Pla Dook Yang (cat fish) and it was a hit as well. Overall, would recommend!! read more

Zaab Zaab - Kao Pad PO (crab fried rice) - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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This place was on my list for a long time And I'm so thrilled to see that it's getting more attention after that great New York Times rating. Everything was REALLY good, and combined what I love about queens (authentic regional foods) and NYC eating (craftsmanship and quality). QUAIL WONTONS Crisp and freshly fried with a great crunch and yummy quail egg inside- simple, and would be elevated to the next level if there was more interior flavoring but things don't always have to be complex to be good. Great crunch but not like crab Rangoon which has a thinner and crispier instead of crunchy skin. BAMBOO SHOOT AND PORK BELLY HOR MOK*** Sooooo delicious. Buttery tender pork belly and garlic with soft but mild crunch of the bamboo with bold, salty, hot flavor - garlicky and deliciously. Would actually go so great with rice !! I would get this again MIENG PLA POW*** I've eaten my fair share of steamed fish growing up and this was amazing! We asked for recommendations and this is what they recommended. I'm so glad we went with their suggestion. Tender, flavorful fish comes right off the bone - if you're not used to this experience trust me it's worth it and easy for beginners. Make tasty little lettuce wraps with a good crunch, chewy noodles, and fragrant fresh mint and dill to decorate with a delicious tamarind peanut sauce. There's another sauce that packs more heat if you want that it comes with. So flavorful! read more

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Great place for Thai food! Got the pad thai with prawns and moo tang to share. Definitely a great pad thai and cannot go wrong ordering it. The moo tang was crisped so well and paired with a great sauce, it was really addicting to eat. Also ordered a Thai tea and that was delicious. read more

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Flavorsome Isaan food (Northeastern Thai cuisine) located in Woodside Ave, where I've always thought had an overabundance of Thai restaurants concentrated along this strip. Yet to my revelation, it was one of the most authentic Thai restaurant I've ever been to. Their menu selection is not like your predictable monotonous pad thai and tom yum joint. They actually serve different items which I never heard nor had before. We ordered the bamboo shoot and pork belly steamed in banana leaf (4/5) it tasted fresh and spicy, but mellowed down with the savory rich coconut curry sauce. Tom Som Gai (chicken in spicy lemon grass and tamarind soup)(3.5/5) was fragrant, citrusy, and a bit on the spicier side. Downside is the soup cooled down quickly, because the hot pot bowl was not heated. Larb moo (ground pork, pork rind, and liver) (4.5/5) this is for people who love their spice, it's a great combination of texture from the crispy pork rind, smooth chopped liver, and the soft crumbly minced pork. The service here was friendly, attentive, and fast. They made good food and drink recommendations. I'm not keen of the interior ambiance, but they had a good amount of outdoor seating. Worth a stop! read more

Zaab Zaab - TOM SOM GAI, HOR MOK Pork Belly, LARB MOO - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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came in on a Friday night with no reservations and we were seated at this lone table next to the bar. the location was awkward but we rolled with it. after a little bit, the restaurant quickly filled up. the menu seems a little different from what you'd typically find in other Thai restaurants, focusing mostly on northern Thai food. we got the following to try: -som tum thai: crunchy and refreshing green papaya salad, a good palate cleanser. -prawn pad thai: a tad too sweet for our taste (not even the lime could fix) and lacked the wok hei/char that you'd typically get. good portion size! -grilled pork collar: very tender but somewhat fatty, the dipping sauce was delicious! service was great and the staff checked in on us pretty frequently. our main grip is that the tables were too small. our plate were literally hanging off of the table and we had to do some creative re-arranging to fit everything in. i do think a lot of ppl eat family-style here, so bigger tables would be awesome! also, it is a little pricier but you do get big portions. i had enough leftovers to make two meals out of it. overall, a very solid spot and reservations are HIGHLY recommended. read more

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This place is delicious. It doesn't have the biggest menu but boy does it pack flavor with what it serves already. Get ALL the dishes and split them. There is not a single dish that you can go wrong with. There's the all famous Ayada down the block. I can't pick between one or the other- both have their own dishes and both are equally fantastic. Go go go. You won't regret. read more

Zaab Zaab - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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Great place for Northern Thai cuisine! Food/Drinks: - Thai Iced Tea: always hits the spot especially when eating spicy food! - Kapow with minced pork (comes with rice): This was delicious with a nice kick to it from the fresh Thai chilies. I didn't finish the meal, so I brought it home, and it was great even when reheated. - Larb: this is one of their specialty dishes. This was very flavorful with a nice balance from the spice and citrus. - Pad Thai with prawns: fantastic pad Thai! The noodles taste fresh and soft Service/Ambiance: Fast, friendly, and efficient staff. They were great with recommendations. Decor is adorable with lots of fun, bright colors. Overall: I will be back to try more dishes! read more

Zaab Zaab - Kapow with minced pork - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I saw this place highly rated online and asked my friend to join me here for lunch. We were able to walk right in on Saturday for lunch. We ordered the larb, som tum and gai yang. I was not impressed by any of these dishes. The food felt very one dimensional in terms of flavors. I regretted wasting a precious lunch in Elmhurst at this place when there are so many other delicious Thai restaurants in the neighborhood. Do not recommend. read more

Zaab Zaab - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I first noticed this spot on Yelp when I was craving Thai food. At first sight, Zaab Zaab is very unassuming. The menu is also not too extensive, but I loved what I ordered and hope to be back to try more dishes here! My friend and I both ordered the Larb GAI. NOTE: The dish is spicy, which I don't feel like is properly emphasized on the menu. Keep that in mind if you don't have high spice tolerance I saw others near me order more adventurous dishes (like the hot pot and fish), so I would definitely try that on my next visit. Zaab fries are great and I loved the addictive sauce they came with. Overall, it was an authentic and delicious experience. It brought out a different side to Thai cuisine I never experienced before, and I recommend if you're in the area! read more

Zaab Zaab - ZAAB FRIES, Larb GAI - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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I'll be honest- I don't usually crave thai food because I didn't grow up eating much of it, but I think it never fails to impress me. Zaab zaab is no exception. Service here is lovely. The owner and server were both so friendly and helpful. He kindly let me struggle with pronunciations too before repeating it back to me correctly hahaha. The restaurant is a little small, with not too many tables, so definitely get a reservation or arrive early. Weekday lunch was not too busy. The food is fantastic. I went with some recommendations from friends: the duck larb and the crying tiger grilled beef. Beef is a bit more done than I'd prefer, but the seasoning and sauce were on point. (They offered two sauces, one being more traditional and bitter. Not bad, but I still preferred the other). The duck larb was spicy and delicious. Had great texture with the crispy skin, and I absolutely loved the basket of fresh herbs to go with it. Sticky rice to eat with it was ok. Thai tea and Thai green tea were perfect. Overall, would highly recommend and I saw that they were opening in the Tangram mall in flushing too, so I'm super excited to try that out too! read more

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Excellent server and low key vibe. The crab rice was delicious, but the pad thai was the best we had and 4 of us tried. The duck larb i enjoyed and it is spicy so mix it with the rice or a noodle if you need. The lychee martini was worth noting and an excellent tamarind margarita. Definitely worth coming to try. read more

Alert: Make sure you have rather high spice tolerance before your decide to visit. Interior: 5/5 Zaab Zaab have both indoor and outdoor seatings. When I walked in to the restaurant, the vibrant color of the place immediately attracted me. It's rather small but there are plenty of seats. Drink: 6/5 (bonus point for serving iced green tea lol) - This may be an unpopular opinion but I think a great thai iced tea is not always easy to find. Thai iced tea is served everywhere but Thai iced GREEN tea is not always available. The thai iced tea & iced green tea here are both so amazing (strong tea flavor for sure) - there are also other drinks: beer, wine, cocktail, and coffee Food: 5/5 (yes I can feel the burn but it was so good I visited twice) - Neur Yang - the rib eye has great flavor itself. But the sauce really helped elevated the flavor even more (my absolute favorite dish) - Larb Ped U-Don - the waiter suggested us to eat this dish with sticky rice, and it was fantastic. This dish has duck breast and fried duck skin in it. They have chicken/beef/pork option as well. Service: 5/5 The servers were all so happy and friendly - I love love love the vibe here. Our server checked on us to make sure we are happy with the food. Since the serving size here is decently big, make sure you bring some friends with you so you can try out more dish :D !! read more

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Gotta admit I came here after seeing the nyt review and it was good. As a Thai person I can confirm this is an authentic issan (north east) food. We ordered 5 dishes (for 3) and walked out stuffed. There are dishes that was really good and some were a bit of a let down. - Crab fried rice. I think they seasoned it very well and it was just like fried rice I always had in Thailand very well seasoned. Add a squeeze of lime and chili fish sauce (prik nam pla) and it's perfect. However, just like in Thailand, I found the rice to be a bit wet and the wok hay a bit lacking. I prefer Chinese style in that regard. - Laab ped (crispy duck salad). This one is the best dish for sure. Very very tasty. The flavor is very bold yet balanced. Superb - Tum Sua (papaya salad) this is another great dish. I think it's a bit salty and need more lime but I think the seasoning on this dish is on point, especially the heat level was just right (must be on the verge of being too hot). - Tom saab with spare rib. The spare rib was fork tender. The broth is well balanced. - Grilled catfish - this one was supposed to be the highlight of the meal but ended up a let down. Catfish is usually earthy since it lives in mud and when you grill catfish you'll need to grill the sh*t out of it so that the smokiness trumps that earthiness of the fish. Unfortunately there's not nearly enough grilling going on here and the fish was very earthy. They service was good but it was on a pricey side. However we can definitely order one fewer dish and we'd still be full, so effectively it was probably $35 per person net, which is reasonable. Overall tho I think this is an authentic Thai Isan restaurant and I'd definitely recommend it to other people. 4 stars -recommended read more

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I went to Zaab Zaab after the famed NYT review came out. I love this area of Elmhurst -- it has a ton of great Thai restaurants up and down this couple of blocks, and I've been to a few. The restaurant is small, colorfully decorated, with a good amount of outdoor seating. The service here is great, very attentive. I tried the following dishes: Quail Egg Wonton (4/5): Pretty nice dish. Comes with four wontons and a dipping sauce. The wrapping is a good thickness, and the egg is nice, although a little salty. Larb Ped-U-Don (duck breast with charred galangal, fried liver, and fried duck skin) (4.5/5): A very tasty and interesting dish. I really enjoyed the mix of duck preparations and textures. Pairs really nicely with the sticky rice. Gai Yang (rotisserie chicken marinated in coriander and lemongrass with spicy tamarind jaew sauce) (3.5/5): A nice chicken dish. The chicken was moist, not dry at all, with good flavors. Kao Pad Pu (crab fried rice) (4/5): I love crab fried rice in general, and I enjoyed this rendition. It wasn't the absolute best that I've had, but it was definitely worth trying. I liked Zaab Zaab. The food was good, fresh, and interesting. I will say that many of the other Thai places on the block are just as good, or better. This place is worth a visit. read more

Felt like I was cheating on my first love, Ayada down the block. Zaab zaab was good and I'd order the crying tiger dish again. Nothing too spectacular about the restaurant. It felt more aesthetically pleasing and a place I'd see on Instagram. I think I may be more into hole in the wall spots. Service was great though. read more

Zaab Zaab - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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Everything here is stellar. I've traveled here from Crown Heights twice in 1 month, and I still feel like I'm not coming enough. Seating can feel cramped when it's busy, since there's less than 2 feet of space between indoor tables. Fortunately, I've had no issues walking in around 3-5 PM on Saturday and immediately getting seated. Thai iced tea - The best version I've had anywhere. The tea flavor really comes through, and it's perfectly balanced with the milky and sweet components. Tom Zaab Khreung Nai - The soup is addicting, especially if you like sour and herbal notes. It feels like a "clean" soup that you can drink endlessly without regret. It reminds me of momo soup at Nepali Bhanchha Ghar, albeit less savory/potent. Neur Yang - Each piece of beef was cooked perfectly, and they went so well with the dipping sauces and lettuce. The bitter jaew khom sauce was so intensely savory at first, but then the 2nd layer of bitter and earthy kicks in to smooth it all out. The spicy tamarind jaew sauce was more mellow in comparison, with a spicy/sweet contrast that makes you able to dip endlessly in it. Som Tum Pla Ra (with black crab) - I never had this dish with black crab before, but you're supposed to chew on the shell and then spit it out. It added so much flavor, so I really recommend getting the add-on. The som tum itself was better than any other papaya salad I've had. I couldn't get enough of the super-strength fish sauce (pla ra), and the dish was perfectly spicy (eating a few bites in a row will slightly numb your lips, and you'll want a drink of water). Getting lazy, so I'll also say the mieng pla pow and tom hang were fantastic. read more

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This place is great! The food is very authentic and the spice factor is kicking! You can get anything mild but if you like spice, this is the place! We got the bamboo shoots appetizer which was very delicious and the quail egg wonton which was so different that any other wontons I've had before. The egg yoke was such a great texture for a wonton filling. I got the BBQ chicken which was cooked beautifully and some sauce on the side for dipping. My friend got the Mieng Pla Pow, whole fish with lettuce wraps. It was a great interactive dish and tasted delish. We'd definitely go back! read more

Zaab Zaab - Quail egg wonton - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

This is totally a rip off place. Be aware of all their pricing and portion what they serving on the menu. Come in for late night and lack of service . They only take care of certain table and lack of service . Sit down 20 mins and no water serving on table . The price is totally in responsible with small size . I think the nearby spot hug esan is definitely better quality and better service with and bigger food size without questioning. Serious no recommend read more

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I have been to this place during the pandemic and i don't know if they were operating under different owner because the menu was different. We had hainainese chicken and crispy pork. Now, this place has same decor but different menu. I tried their rib eye and crab fried rice. Rib eye was very tender and juicy which i loved. It comes with two dipping sauce on the side. One was very salty and other one was sour. I liked the sour one with my beef. Crab rica portion was good, but i felt expensive for queens. Maybe i will go back to try more foods in the future. read more

I can't recommend this place highly enough. Over the last 10 years I've seen several regional Thai concepts open in various places in the 5 boroughs with great authentic food that hasn't been dumbed down and whitewashed but they all eventually succumbed to the pressure of basic b*tch energy and pivoted back to your run of the mill offerings to survive. I'm praying this place succeeds and holds firm against that inevitable whining noise. The flavors are bold, vibrant and unapologetic. It's clear they have not cut any corners with regards to ingredients, the complexity of fresh herbs used and the countless ingredients it takes to create such depth. As such I found their pricing to be totally reasonable, understandable and justified. Be prepared to be transported, come with and open mind and an open palate and you'll have a memorable meal. read more

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The first time my husband and I went here, the menu was very different, touting khao mun gai (hainanese chicken rice) as their key dish. We tried it, and it was a little underwhelming. Then, when we returned recently, the whole menu had changed. It now emphasized northern Thai dishes and things I've not seen on many Thai menus (which is saying something given all the Thai restaurants in the area). I had the Mieng Pla Pow, salted tilapia served with lettuce, rice noodles and a bed of herbs (dill, cilantro and mint). You make lettuce wraps filled with the herbs and fish and dip them in one of the two sauces provided. I loved the green sauce, which was spicy and tasted of herbs and lemongrass. My husband had the Kapow, a dish of chopped ribeye stir fried with garlic, basil, fish sauce and other flavors. It was a bit greasy but very tasty. All in all, we were happy to taste two Thai dishes that you don't find on many menus outside of Thailand. We will definitely return with friends so we can sample the rest of the menu! read more

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

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We had the Papaya salad which was not great, nor was the grilled chicken or the chicken hot pot. All dishes lacked flavor and spiciness. If you want true Esan food thats actually spicy, go down a few doors towards Broadway to Hug Esan, so much better flavor and their slicy levels kick ass. I tried to love this place but it didn't cut it. read more

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First time trying Northeastern Isan-style Thai cooking and it was pretty good. The server was quite informative and gave us recommendations. We had the Larb Ped Udon (minced duck breast, fried liver and duck skin), Som Tum Pla Ra (papaya salad with fermented fish sauce), Gai Yang (Rotisserie chicken). This place is busy and fill up quickly, so come early if you want to dine indoor. It's not a big place inside but there are plenty outdoor seatings. read more

Zaab Zaab - Larb Ped Udon, Som Tum Pla Ra, Gai Yang - Thai Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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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The food was delicious. Definitely worth a visit or two. So many good authentic Thai places around here but this one definitely about to give Spicy Shallot a run for its money! 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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