Fish Cheeks

The pork belly entree was incredibly tasty and crunchy. The mussels were a bit small. Oysters are great. Crab and noodles dish was good, but wished the Crabs were bigger and fresh.

I try Thai everywhere I travel. Believe me when I say that the meal at Fish Cheeks is incredible. Everything from the hospitality to the execution of each dish was excellent. We made reservations about a week in advance of our trip to New York. We were seated immediately and given some recommendations on how to order from the menu. A few recommendations from the Kin Len (small dishes/appetizers) and a few more from the entrees. I wish they’d made some recommendations from the sides because the greens we ordered were incredible and a bit hidden in their online menu. We ordered the morning glory (water spinach), steamed fish (branzino in cilantro and lime), crab fried rice, and chicken wings. We also got complimentary shrimp chips and the Thai tea. The morning glory was familiar, with all the flavors we’d expect. The steamed fish was succulent and surprisingly deboned. The crab fried rice was full of lumps of crab and umami taste without too much salt. The wings, dry fried with a zest seasoning reminded me of my travels in Thailand with fall of the bone lean meat. Only 2 things could have been better. I know that digital menus are the new norm, but ordering off of a mobile menu in a dim lit restaurant is tough, especially with an extensive menu that is split up between tabs. Secondly, the steamed fish came with a burner for the steam tray, but fuel was letting off an offensive fume that became frustrating after some time.

I’ve heard tons of great things about Fish Cheeks and it absolutely lived up to its hype. We decided to indulge in a variety of dishes, and each one was a culinary adventure in itself. • Zabb Wings caught our attention. Fried chicken with chili lime and fried makrut lime leaf? It was a flavor combination unlike anything I've ever tasted before. The wings were generously sized, juicy, and bursting with flavor. Typically as you will get them in the streets of Bangkok. • Crab Fried Rice and we were not disappointed. The abundance of crab meat in every bite was impressive, and the nam jim and pork nam pla sauce added an extra layer of deliciousness. • Steamed Fish and Thai Herbs; a whole branzino in chili lime cilantro broth, was an absolute delight. Placing the fish on top of the rice elevated the flavors to another level. We opted to sit at the bar, which offered fast service and ample space for our array of dishes. Waiting was a little too much and we were quite hungry. Unlike some cramped bars, this one had plenty of room to enjoy our meal comfortably. The Thai tea was a standout, tasting authentic and perfectly complementing the meal. The ambiance was just right for a social evening, with low lighting adding to the cozy atmosphere. All in all, Fish Cheeks proved to be not just a dining experience, but a memorable culinary journey. Highly Recommended! Vegetarian options: Some items Kid-friendliness: If your child isn’t a picky eater!

This place didn’t disappoint! Curry was spicy, creamy, coconuty and heat warming. Chicken wings and grilled chicken made me do a happy dance! Completely different flavors, both unique and delicious. Mussels were good too, but didn’t blow my mind. Atmosphere is fun and cool. Absolutely must try place! - side note: loved that waiters/bartenders we’re eating alongside customers at the bar and were served food from the menu!

Surprisingly average food considering the hype…

Food was delicious! The grilled pork cheeks ($17) is a must-try. The famous coconut crab curry ($30) was another delicious option. We also had the grilled Spanish mackerel ($27) and sauteed cabbage ($10). They take their spice pretty seriously here, so be prepared! As for the drinks, we tried the Tongue & Cheek, Nam Gin Martini, Manao Mao, and Bond Street Villains ($17 each, $11 during happy hour) and all were tasty and decently strong. We came without reservations in between meal rushes (~3pm) and had a very short wait for a table of 2. The only downside was the long wait times for our food and drinks; we weren't in a rush, but definitely expect long wait times in between your dishes, especially if you come at peak hours. We also had to wait for our side of rice for so long that our curry got cold while waiting. The table next to ours actually couldn't wait any longer for one of their dishes and just had it taken off their order instead.

Such great authentic Thai food! Note: As someone who is gluten-free (celiac), they have a dedicated gluten free menu but our server mentioned that majority of the gluten-free items are still cross-contaminated (which isn't a huge issue for me). She said if you don't want cross-contamination, it's limited to about 2 items so I'd recommend giving them a call to ask before popping in. We ordered: - Shrimp in 3 Crab Sauce (gf): incredible but SUPER spicy. If you can't handle spice, don't eat the chilis on the top. - Chicken wings (not gf): was told they were extremely meaty and juicy. - Coconut Crab Curry (gf): ugh, such amazing crab panang curry. so flavorful and just warms your soul - Crab fried Rice (gf): - Rawaaeng Duck Curry (gf): personally, I would skip this. it wasn't really memorable and even the server said it's typically not the most liked dish. - Panang Negroni: I absolutely LOVE mezcal Negronis so this was exactly what I wanted and I loved it. I will say - if you're not a Negroni person, don't get this. It could come off as way too bitter or strong. Dietary restrictions: As someone who is gluten-free (celiac), they have a dedicated gluten free menu but our server mentioned that majority of the gluten-free items are still cross-contaminated (which isn't a huge issue for me). She said if you don't want cross-contamination, it's limited to about 2 items so I'd recommend giving them a call to ask before popping in.

I don’t ever order a whole fish but it was really good. It’s refreshing and super flavorful. Location was wonderful and cocktails were super delicious.

Came here without a reservation for our anniversary dinner last night. The wait for a table was surprisingly short! The hosts and server were really sweet and made us feel special on our special day. The food was amazing and came out so quickly, I thought they accidentally brought us someone else’s food lmao. The pork belly was so crispy and well seasoned and the crab was juicy and flavorful. 10/10 look forward to eating here again.