Grandpa Thai — Restaurant in New York

I've visited many Thai restaurants, and after seeing the high praise and reviews for this one, we decided to give it a try. Upon arrival, we were seated almost immediately. We were handed iPads to place our orders, and since no server had approached us within the first five minutes, we assumed we were supposed to order through them. This left us feeling quite confused.

Additionally, the utensils and plates were made of a thin, steel-like material, which gave off a cafeteria vibe that was less than inviting. Eventually, an Asian lady approached our table; we expected a warm greeting, but instead, she stared at us silently until I began ordering.

The food arrived quickly. We started with a mango salad, which I personally enjoyed despite it being a bit soggy. The green curry roti wasn’t bad either, but given the high expectations set by reviews, it fell a bit short. For our main courses, we ordered the laksa and chicken pad Thai. The pad Thai was average at best, and the laksa was disappointing, especially since I grew up eating that dish. Both dishes contained tofu puffs, which seemed out of place - particularly in the pad Thai - and they were rubbery and flavorless.

When we kindly requested to return the laksa and order something else, the server turned away without a word and returned with another iPad. We then ordered green curry with chicken and rice, but the chicken had an odd, pork-like taste and was extremely rubbery. When we thanked the server, she didn’t respond and simply walked back into the kitchen.

The service overall was disappointing. The lady was not friendly, and another server repeatedly walked past our table, seemingly distracted, before finally clearing a dirty dish. Toward the end of our meal, a young male server provided friendly and attentive service, slightly improving our experience.

The atmosphere also left much to be desired, with black stains on the floor, cracked iPads, and small, steel cups. To top it all off, we noticed a 3% surcharge added to our bill for card payment. When we asked about it, the server admitted he didn’t know why it was there and agreed it was odd.

Unfortunately, based on the poor service, uninviting atmosphere, and underwhelming food, we will not...

I have visited Grampa Thai for the third time now, and I must say, it has firmly established itself as my favorite dining destination on my days off! In a city as vibrant and diverse as New York, where countless Thai restaurants are scattered throughout, I can confidently say that I only have a couple of places I truly enjoy, and Grampa Thai is rapidly becoming a staple in my culinary adventures.

Every time I walk through those doors, I am greeted by a warm atmosphere that feels welcoming and inviting. The servers, particularly a gentleman named Santiago, consistently provide exceptional service. Their friendliness and attentiveness make the dining experience even more enjoyable, as they seem genuinely invested in ensuring that you have a wonderful meal.

I believe I've seen the owner or perhaps a supervisor while I've been there, and let me tell you, this person exudes a charming blend of elegance and approachability that makes you feel right at home. It's wonderful to know that there's such a personable touch at the helm of this establishment.

So far, my absolute favorite dish is the Thai green tea. I had never tasted anything like it before, and it has quickly captured my palate in a way that few beverages can. The flavor is delightfully unique, and each sip is a refreshing delight.

Additionally, I can't get enough of the curry served with the warm and flaky bread. The combination is simply divine! The quality of the food is so impressive that I often find myself diving into dishes with names I can hardly pronounce, embracing the adventure of trying new flavors and textures. Overall, my experiences at Grampa Thai have been nothing short of fantastic, and I am already looking forward to...

The whole place was only staffed by one waiter and a server. In the end, it took too long to order. The iPad menu is unnecessarily high tech if we can’t even order from it. In the end, we waited a while for the waitress to come and take our order. She walked by and asked if we’re ready to order, we said yes but then she said she’ll be back…not sure why she couldn’t just take the order then and there. My main dish came out first while my friend waited over 10 minutes for his. My drink came out 10 minutes after the main dish, go figure…when I asked about my friends order the waitress just said it’ll be out soon (ofc didn’t bother to check). It was only after another server brought my drink 10 minutes after the main entree comes out that I asked a server to please check, which he said it’ll be five more minutes. Did they forget? When my friend got the chicken curry, he was surprised to find out the chicken was fried and on the side….and not in the curry. Then the waitress proceeded to argue we should have looked at the picture of the fried chicken. But what about beef or pork? Am I to know because there’s a fried chicken that beef and pork is also fried? Then when we asked for the check we waited another 10 min. Very disappointed… on the other hand, the staff are very friendly, but it was very service was slow. In any case, I still think we should still support this small business…hopefully the service will be...