Kaew Jao Jorm Thai Restaurant — Restaurant in New York

Williamsburg has no shortage of restaurants, but Kaew Jao Jorm Thai is one that truly feels special. It’s a tiny, tucked-away spot with a cozy, welcoming vibe perfect for a date night or catching up with a friend. The moment you walk in, the air is filled with the fragrance of Thai herbs and spices, the kind of aroma that makes you instantly hungry.

What makes this place stand out is its focus on royal Thai cuisine. Dating back to the Ayutthaya Kingdom, royal Thai cooking is all about refinement, intricate presentation, perfect balance of flavors, and using the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. At Kaew Jao Jorm, you get a taste of that tradition, but in a way that still feels approachable and homey.

On my first visit, we started with the Chor Muang (ช่อม่วง) the famous Royal Flower Dumplings. These delicate little parcels are hand-crafted and naturally dyed with butterfly pea flowers, giving them a gorgeous blue hue. Traditionally made for Thai royalty, they’re filled with minced chicken and peanuts. The sweet-savory filling was lovely, though the wrapper was a bit sticky and chewy for my liking. Still, the artistry and cultural significance made it worth ordering at least once.

Next came the Green Curry Chicken (แกงเขียวหวานไก่). Believed to have originated in the 18th century, green curry is one of Thailand’s most beloved dishes and here, it was everything you’d want: fragrant with Thai basil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal, with just the right level of spice. The chicken thighs were tender, the eggplants silky, and the long hot peppers added a perfect kick. This was comfort food and history all in one bowl.

We also tried the Poh Tak Talay (โป๊ะแตกทะเล), a Southern Thai–style spicy seafood soup sometimes described as Thailand’s answer to bouillabaisse. The clear broth was a citrusy, herbal punch lemongrass, lime juice, bird’s eye chili, kaffir lime leaves layered into a refreshing but fiery soup. Tiger shrimp, squid, and mussels soaked up all that flavor, and every spoonful was a bold mix of heat, tang, and depth.

A sweet touch,the waitress personally scooped jasmine rice onto our plates. Fragrant, soft, and slightly floral, the rice was the perfect partner for both the curry and the soup. We wrapped it all up with a classic Thai Iced Tea, creamy and sweet with just a hint of star anise.

On my second visit, I was thrilled to find the Poh Tak Talay still as incredible as the first time bright, spicy, and packed with fresh seafood. This time, we also tried the Lemongrass Chicken Skewers. Grilled chicken thighs marinated with Thai herbs and served with sweet chili sauce, they were bite-sized, juicy, and fragrant. Honestly, I only wished there were a few more skewers on the plate because they disappeared way too fast.

The surprise favorite of the night was the Phed Ma Kham a sous-vide duck breast with tamarind sauce, served with sautéed Chinese broccoli. The duck was tender and juicy, while the tangy-sweet tamarind glaze balanced richness with brightness. It was one of those dishes that really shows how Thai cooking can be both bold and elegant.

Overall, Kaew Jao Jorm may be small, but it’s packed with big flavors and cultural depth. Every visit feels like a little journey through Thai history served with warmth, care, and attention to detail. If you want to go beyond your typical pad thai and discover the beauty of royal Thai cooking, this Williamsburg gem is absolutely worth...

EDIT: the owner has responded with a racist comment about apologizing in “my language” :) this is a new low + a glowing example of the behavior we experienced. btw, i’m not the only party that didn’t receive an apology that night (Arthur Brantley’s review). attached a screenshot of the response so it’s never leaving the internet

TLDR; the food’s good, but the wait/restaurant responses were terrible, and the owners are lying about the accommodations to our party in their review replies

I would’ve given this place 3 stars given the quality of the food, but the reviews before me and the owner’s responses are appalling.

As previous people before me have stated, our party waited an additional 45-50 minutes for our reservation, and despite asking for accurate ETAs 3 times, we were met with “15 more minutes” each time. The host also said weird lines like “You wanna bet? I will make sure they leave. I bet you.” We were given plenty of attitude when we checked in for updates, and I’m not sure where in the world a restaurant would feel entitled to say things like “it has only been 45 minutes” — for a reservation??

I also want to clear up several things — there were NO discounts, yes we cross checked the receipt and the menu prices listed (except no “bring your own cake fee???”), 3 small scoops of ice cream for 9 people, and there were absolutely NO APOLOGIES. Not a single one of us heard an apology, and we were already being fairly tolerant of many things — waiting 45 minutes for a resy, dealing with the restaurant’s attitude, dropping hot rice on us, waiting in a cold winter hallway, etc. It’s deeply disappointing to see the owner’s responses, characterizing the recent reviews as “uncivilized” and putting down their customers. They say, “no valued customer is no god to me,” and I agree — we are not and we never claimed to be. But we are still human. It would’ve been nice if we received an apology or at least a realistic estimation of the time it’d take to have us seated. If we’d known it was an additional 45 minutes, we could’ve canceled or waited somewhere warmer. We would’ve understood if the host mentioned that they were backed up and the wait compounded. But that was never communicated, and the business’s claims are not what happened.

To the owner or host — do better. You don’t have to tell me not to come back, and you don’t have to tell me about the “discounts” you gave. I wouldn’t come...

As a Thai person who has been dining at both popular and lesser-known Thai restaurants in NYC for the past four years, I can confidently and genuinely say this is the best Thai restaurant I’ve eaten at in the city so far.

My pride and pressure were high for the first time, bringing my non-Thai friends to a Thai restaurant, I was hesitating, seeing a review mentioning the food had rather good presentation than flavors, plus she mentioned being asked to scan QR code to write review kept me questioning about their good rating because I know many big-name Thai restaurant do that and I find it off putting.

But I decided to give this place a try because of its interesting menu. We shared the Pomelo Salad and the famous purple dumplings. The dumplings were good but not really my taste, while the salad was light, refreshing, and not too spicy. Great appetizer for summer. For my entrée, I ordered Baked Crab in coconut milk and curry paste, or Hor Mok in Thai. This dish is very personal to me; it’s my grandmother’s specialty and my favorite. It’s also rare to find on menus outside Thailand. I had it twice in NYC, and it’s never been good. This version was incredible: large chunks of crab, rich curry paste blended with creamy coconut milk, the fragrance of herbs, and a citrus note from makrut lime leaf. It was so good. I also tried my friends’ entrées. The Panang Beef was bold and very rich, with perfectly tender beef, better than many Panang dishes I’ve had in Thailand. The Kang Ranjuan, a rare dish even back home, had a clear, flavorful broth with tender beef and was a great contrast after several coconut milk dishes. My partner’s dish, Mackerel in coconut milk soup, was the star of the night, comforting and nostalgic, reminding me of childhood dinners. I think this might be one of the very few places in NYC serving it.

The service was excellent. We sat in the backyard, and our waiter was warm, kind, and attentive. He explained the food and drinks very well. Also, the drinks here are unlike other Thai restaurants in the city; they aren't sweet at all, and we loved them so much! I finished everything.

It’s been two months since that dinner, and I’m still counting the days until I can return. I’ve told everyone I know...