Somtum Der Reviews

This is not your usual Thai fare with red, green, panang, massaman curries. But precisely why this place is such a treat. My favorite dishes on the menu are House special grilled marinated pork/beef. I also love the Original styled Thai spicy papaya salad. My favorite main dish is Pad Ki Mao Moo. All in all highly recommended place if you love thai flavors and want to try something new!

Last week I ordered this dish three times - delivered through Seamless. Each time it arrived still hot with peppers still tangy and the ground pork and wide noodles delightful.

Simple decor, a few individual tables along with longer ones, like picnic tables. The cuisine has tones from Laos, not the standard Thai found across this country. For example Red Ants are in season (no joke) and they were offered on a salad. Only live once, go for it. It was fantastic and in some regards great when sampled side by side with the Papaya Salad with salted eggs. For main course, personally not a Fried Chicken fan but this stiff was heavenly. Wow. Tender, crunchy and full of flavor. The Grilled Beef Skewers were simple and tasty. The Fried Noodles; aka Pad Thai were great; simple filling and tasty. Tried to up sell us but this was plenty of food. Full bar. Limited wine list; South African wine was good and a value proposition

So spicy and so good. There was plenty of space for a late afternoon lunch and food came out quickly. The Thai lemon iced tea had great flavor and thankfully, a good degree of sweetness which I was later very thankful for. We ordered the Tum Thai with salted egg salad (spicy papaya salad), Nam Tok Mue (spicy grilled beef with toasted rice), and Pad Ki Mao with pork and basil. We ordered everything "medium" spicy. For most without Thai palates, I think medium = wicked spicy. I had a hard time with the grilled beef as my mouth was on fire after a few bites. Before this happened, I could appreciate the citrus and fish sauce flavors. After? I drank every bit of sweet tea on the table and was beet red and sweaty. My husband pretty much licked the plate clean. My favorite was the Pad Ki Mao - I love big noodles - the fatter the phatter. The ground pork was tasty and seasoned and the noodles just sucked up the flavor. I was also a big fan of the salad. The sweetness and citrus helped mediate the fire from the beef - but don't get me wrong, it had its own heat as well. The salted egg had a creamy, custardy yet funky taste that paired well with the crunch of the papaya and peanuts. All three dishes were standouts - as others have said, if you are looking for Pad Thai and satay, this is not your place. If you're looking for Thai adventure, highly recommended.

I went for lunch. I wanted to try a variety of dishes and the easiest way to do that was to order one of their lunch specials. It consisted of a papaya salad, a big piece of what I thought was going to be pork but I think was chicken and coconut rice. Whatever the meat was, it wasn't particularly good. The lunch special was certainly not worthy of their Michelin star. I should have ordered off the a la carte menu.

I’ve been lucky to have eaten so many great meals in Thailand. However, it has made it difficult to find the same authentic quality locally. Thank goodness for Somtum Der with their extensive menu of flavorful offerings. If you don’t enjoy spicy foods, better let your server know so they can adjust the level of heat! We wanted to try everything but decided to concentrate on the salads. The somtum or papaya version with fermented fish sauce & field crabs (Tum Poo -Plara) was good but very pungent & probably not for everyone We were unsure if the small crabs should be eaten or were there just to add flavor? The spicy minced grilled catfish salad ( Larb Pla Dook Yang) was less intense but still tasty. My favorite was the spicy minced duck salad (Larb Ped). The house special grilled marinated pork was delicious & went well with a side order of grilled sticky rice (these rice sticks resembled ice cream bars). We also enjoyed the spicy flat rice noodles with ground pork (Pad Ki Mao). Too full to eat any dessert at the restaurant but did order the taro in condensed coconut milk & enjoyed it later that evening at home.

I came here for lunch with wife, daughter, and son-in-law. We are very familiar with standard Thai fare, but this restaurant is different. My rating of "average" thus should not be taken literally but rather as a general "three-star" impression. The interior of the restaurant was pleasing, and service was friendly and efficient. The menu shows photographs of all dishes, which is helpful, although they may create wrong impressions about the size of the servings, which were much larger than expected. I ordered the deep-fried pork spring rolls and the mushroom soup, after being informed (after asking) that both the fish and chicken soups contained bones. (This may be authentic, but I don't like it, and it seems low-class to me.) The spring rolls had an unusual taste and came (incongruously?) with a mayonnaise dip. The mushroom soup was very spicy, which I liked, but it was loaded with slithery and flavorless mushrooms of three Chinese varieties, which were tedious to chew and got stuck between my teeth. The others in my group seemed satisfied with their food, but I would have preferred standard Thai fare to this particular Thai cuisine. When I was ready to pay, I was told the credit card machine didn't work. I paid in cash but unintentionally miscalculated the tip, giving only 8% instead of 15%. On the way out I was waylaid by a waiter who asked whether anything had been wrong. That made me realize I had made a mistake, and I added some money, but I nevertheless was displeased by being harangued. All in all, I could not get excited about this restaurant and will not return.

If I could raise one eyebrow in disdain at the notion that this place ever had a Michelin star, I would. Really I have no idea why anyone would come back here after a first visit. The food is uniformly greasy and heavy. There is little variation (if you don't love pork, your options will be limited; if you are a vegetarian, try somewhere else). We had a kind of crab pad thai (missing all the usual additions that make a pad thai tasty and fresh), a plate with mackerel (straight from the barrel), coconut rice with barely a hint of coconut, and papaya salad (which is admittedly only for those who can handle spice). We also had 'spring rolls', which arrived after the other dishes. They just had pork filling and were served with mayonnaise. I came away longing to eat a cucumber to settle my stomach. As my husband said, the best thing about this meal was the cocktail, and that was just a full glass of ice-cubes with a sugary syrup and a hint of some kind of alcohol.

Nice restaurant as Thai E-San decorate. Also nice and friendly for Thai waiter here. Never miss home, when we were here for dinning. All menus so good and dilicious but Som Tum PU PARA quite salty. Should reduct salty for this menu, that would be glad.

I could barely eat anything at the restaurant because it was so spicy. Ended up ordering two Thai iced teas and drinking so much water. My mouth was on fire. I thought it was just me at first but then I saw that my parents, who are hardcore extra spicy food fans, struggle with the food too. The pad Thai is good, but honestly TOO SPICY.

I'm Thai and I can say the food here is so AUTHENTIC. I live in Maryland and I usually have a trip to New York every month or two months. Of course, I always come to this place for all my NY trip. My favourite dish is "Goong-chae-nam-pla" which is the raw shrimp with spicy seafood sauce. It's so spicy and tasty. If you don't mind about SPICY, let's get the spicy dish here. You will enjoy. ^____^ I promise.

Reservation recommended Great service Great food selections Choose your spicy level Food comes quick, hot and yummy

Apart from likely being the most ridiculous Michelin star in the world, Som Tum der was a nice place. It's possible to book online in a advance and well priced. The food was good, not the best Thai food i ever had but the menu is a bit different so at least you are likely to try something new. The service was friendly but pretty inefficient, certainly didn't have any slickness about it. That said, the price is completely matched to the standard of food and service so no complaint from me, it's practical, i could go back or not, i'd be happy either way.

A branch of the almost identical mother restaurant in Soi Saladaeng Bangkok, this genuine Isan Outlet in funky East Village of New York falls little short of the original North-Eastern Thai cuisine it serves. Most impressive is that if not all most staff are Thai and they know their product! Best dishes are the genuine Pok Pok (Som Thai green mango salad) and the delicious larb. The Gai Yang is pretty genuine as well. Very decent price and good service. A must for those who cherish real Thai food (not for the faint hearted when it comes to spicy flavours)

Note that apart from the fried chicken, there's not much chicken on the food so please be warned if you are a chicken fanatic of some kind. Pork and beef is prevalent in the menu. All the food was flavourful and very distinct from the typical coconut milk curry. Definitely a must try.

Love Somtum Der--best Thai food in the area. People now rave all about it because it's a MIchelin Star restaurant, but I swear the quality of food before the star this year was just as phenomenal! I've been a couple times, but in the recent visit I was happy to see the place serving food still at the same standard as before. I love the grilled sticky rice, and the fried chicken thighs. The Som Tam (Papaya Salad) is a definite must-try since it's a staple in Isan Thai Food. Somtum Der also has a surprisingly great cocktail list incorporating some very fun ingredients. Read more about my experience on my blog post at eatprayjade . com!

We tried this relatively new thai Restaurant for lunch. They offer traditional Isan food. So needless to say,it's very spicy and sourly. But if you crave not Americanized Thai food,this is for you.enjoy!

I enjoy this mix asian & thai food. Luv the papaya salad & great location

Somtum Der is a Michelin-starred restaurant that's a branch of a popular, upscale Northern Thai restaurant that's based in Bangkok. The flavors were new and intriguing to me, and so different from your typical Americanized Thai food. There was real heat from the chili peppers, and the papaya salad had a lovely acidity, and there was also interesting funky flavours such as the preserved egg. You can tell how authentic it is, and they don't dial back the intensity of their seasonings or ingredients. The New York Times review is quite helpful if you want a guide before going. Dishes I loved: the grilled sticky rice on skewers (unlike anything I've tried before), the best Thai tea I've ever had (stronger tea flavour as opposed to just pure sugar), the minced duck larb/salad I didn't enjoy the prawn sashimi, but that's more because I don't like the texture of raw prawns. It's a popular dish though if you like prawn sashimi! Service is cheerful, but somewhat unavailable. You have to be proactive about getting their attention if you want something.

Candidly, I was disappointed with this place. Michelin star? How? The service was slow and Indifferent despite the fact that the restaurant was not that crowded. Couldn't get the server's attention to order, during the meal or even to pay. Food: We got the shrimp salad in a cabbage leaf. Bits of over cooked, oversauced shrimp mixed with cucumber in a tangy, sweet fish sauce. Also got drunken noodles, which are tasty here as at most places. Chicken was very skimpy. After these okay but not great dishes, we moved on.

Surprised Michelin recognizes this place as they miss most places with this kind of pricing. The papaya salad was one of the best things I have ever eaten. There seemed to be some crab innards or something that I've never tasted in papaya salad before but it was crazy good. Lighted my rockets like the Oysters and Pears at Per Se. VERY casual service. Order, get food, get out. Great.

Delicious Thai Food. Extremely authentic. I traveled through Thailand for months and haven't been able to find authentic Thai dishes since returning to the USA until I stumbled upon SomTum Der. Dishes like Larb and Pad Krapow, you usually won't find at a standard American Thai place. All the food at Somtum Der is delicious and they have a great cocktail menu as well. The place is well lit and has a large amount of space. I highly recommend it. Enjoy your time there and enjoy having a taste of real Thai food. :)

Most Thai restaurants in the US emphasize central Thai cuisine. As much as I love that food, Isan Thai food brings in some Laotian overtones and a more complex palate. I think it is especially noticeable if you are Pescatarian. Not atmospheric, but great food and some nice cocktails.

The mid sized plates allow you to try lots of different dishes. This is not saucy strifrys and standard Pad Thais. Instead it's dryer (not dry) meats with a range of subtle and bold favors. A tight but comfortable space with attentive service and moderate prices. Excellent all around.

Located near NYU, easy to find, although not so closed to subway station. The somtum or papaya salad here is delicious as the name it bares. Atmosphere is not bad. The coconut satay is soaking with coconut sauce alright, too much to the point it ruined the taste of it. Pork numtok was so-so, nothing special.

I visited Somtum with several family members and we tried the fried chicken, the pork soup, the papaya mackerel salad and the pork larb. Overall, we enjoyed our meal but I struggled to find things on the menu as many items are cooked with oyster sauce (and I’m allergic to shellfish). The pork larb was tasty and I wish we had ordered more. The soup broth was delicious and spicy, but know that there are a number of bones. The fried chicken was fine but nothing special. Depending on where you are from, this can probably be skipped. The mackerel papaya salad was overly fishy and definitely everyone’s least favorite meal of the night. With so many options in NYC, I’m not sure we’ll be back.

I've walked by this place several times and never ate there. I'm sorry I didn't wander in sooner. It's delicious and a great value (aka cheap). Cute is a good way to describe the decor. Service is good. I wasn't crazy about the cocktails but who cares...it's about the food and that was on point. Also, if you feel like embarassing one of your friends (I enjoy doing that), tell them it's their birthday and watch the magic unfold lol...Fried Chicken Thighs are great. I liked the garlic chips on top. Flat Rice Noodles are a must. Get it with the pork. Enjoy!

I came to the restaurant with a dream of perfect Thai restaurant which was recently rewarded by Michelin star. Well, it is a good restaurant. Wide spectrum of authentic dishes and simple but appropriate presentation. Good décor. Nothing to focus on but restaurant is a place about the food first and only than about decoration of the space. Wooden tables, wooden benches. Food? The food is spicy, you should know this even if you asking about mild approach... it will be spicy. But its the main point of the cultural aspects of Isan cousine. The main dish is a salad, yes, papaya salad. Its unbeatable and poetic. Be careful with fermented crab salads - its for aces. Soups are great. Beef and chicken and pork - nice. Sausages - I like it. Rice - awesome especially sticky rice but all rice dishes are memorable. Prawn sashimi - fresh and delicious. Thai beer in bottles. Cocktails - not to die for but drinkable. So what is not so good. Service is lacking some important components of Michelin restaurants character. And, by the way, 25% gratitude is already added to your bill. But you definitely need to get a dinner or lunch in Somtum Der at least once.

our family had dinner here and it was fantastic. I don't think any dish exceeded $13.00. We ate family style and ordered so much we rolled out of there. BYOB was $10 and very reasonable for NYC. Food is authentic Thai which means it is on the spicier side. But they have a lot of beer to wash out the heat. You cannot go wrong eating here.

Delicious menu choices. Service was quick, and restaurant staff was very helpful in assisting with choices. Food was a tad spicy... Don't miss the papaya salad or the "fried"chicken.

Excellent Isan (Northern) Thai dinner at Somtum Der. Ran the menu a bit with the very expert help of wait staff who cautioned us about what some consider the too aromatic bamboo dish (not only not too strong, but in fact excellent and one of our favorites). Lots of spectacular flavors, kitchen will temper heat to customer's request. This isn't food court Thai so you'll appreciate staff insight if it's new to you, but definitely something for almost anyone. Prices are excellent, don't recall anything over $12. To be honest, I'm already looking forward to going back. Also very glad to know they'll deliver to our neighborhood.

Quite authentic Thai taste. However, I think there are better options such as Fish Cheek or Wondee. Still solid tho!

Best authentic Isan Thai food ever (except for my previous visits to Thailand :-) ). My brother and his friends eat there often and their recommendation was perfect. We are a variety of dishes - too many to name - and they were all excellent. Service and prices are excellent as well. Go hungry and expect the food to be spicier than usual bland Thai restaurants. We will be back on our next visit to NYC.

Food is consistently tasty; that said, service could be slow at times. Good back up in your back pocket.

The staff was amazing BUT the food was just ok. I ordered the Pad Thai and it was nothing to rave about as I've had much better at other restaurants.

Located in the East Village a few blocks south of Thompson Square Park, Somtum Der features wonderful and exciting dishes from the Northern region of Thailand. The dishes are divided into mango salads, rice and noodle salads, soups,deep fried and grilled main courses and rice and noodle dishes. Every dish we tried was fresh and delicious. For those who are adverse to spice, be aware that most dishes are quite spicy, and that ordering the spice at "medium" would be considered "hot" at most other restaurants.

I had a date with a Thai girl last weekend who is F.O.B. and raved about Pok Pok and suggested we go there. She asked if I had been to Somtum Der. No. She said it was really good, so I thought it would be best to go with her suggestion that we try it (no sense in arguing with someone from Thailand about the authenticity and quality of the food at what she deemed to be the best Thai restaurant she knows about in Manhattan). I asked her to take the helm on ordering. The waitress was Thai and listening to them speak their native language to one another added to the whole experience. The food was very spicy in both flavor and heat. Although my nose was running and eyes watering, I couldn't stop eating because it tasted so good. They really should serve Kleenex with their meals ;) Don't expect a fancy delivery. Avenue A is laid back and nowhere near formal. The façade and décor is somewhat bohemian, but frankly, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Super delicious Thai Isan food. I’m Thai and I really feel the real Thai taste in every dish. Really recommend their papaya salad and fried chicken.

Do you consider yourself someone who's great with spicy food? If so --> Friends of mine at our table called this restaurant the best Thai food they've had outside of Thailand. Do you not consider yourself someone who's great with spicy food? If so --> This food is SPICY. You will not taste any tastes other than spiciness during your meal. Highly recommend ordering sides of coconut rice to chase your food with. Are you a vegetarian? If so --> You will have surprisingly limited options Everyone --> The restaurant was crowded but manageable, with attentive staff who were helpful with our order. Our meal wasn't very expensive, and seemed a bargain for the amount of food we ordered.

A spotlessly clean space with giant jars of spices and ingredients being ground at the counter fresh for each dish. Bursting with well balanced flavours, extensive choices. Be aware that there will be bones! Loved this place

As someone who lives in Thailand visiting NYC somtum der offers very original Thai food that is identical to the food you would expect to get on the streets of Bangkok. Same dingy greasy restaurant feel just like Bangkok. Same food served up in plastic prison bowls just like they do in Bangkok. But that’s the unfortunate part. I wanted Thai food with a twist that incorporated local ingredients to show the creativity of the chef which is why I thought it earned a Michelin star in the first place. Why Michelin would offer a restaurant a star just because it has the ability to offer restaurant decor that looks just like a makeshift shanty town shack with food served in plastic bowls just so it can give an authentic feel to the over spiced dishes the Thais love is baffling to me. Thai students who miss home might cooked food might love this restaurant to bits but Michelin screwed up on this one big time.

Ordered noodle dish with calamari and shrimp, excellent. Seafood perfectly cooked, noodles melted in my mouth. Coconut rice good foil for spicy papaya salad. Very tasty. The dissapointment was the recommended fried chicken thighs. Ok if you like greasy chicken skin.

My wife and I dined at Somtum Der for our anniversary (my wife loves Thai food). I made a reservation in advance, which allowed us to avoid a wait. WHY YOU'D LIKE SOMTUM DER 1. Super authentic food. I had never dined at a Isan Thai restaurant before. They serve dishes you will not see at other places. Several different papaya salads, for example. Food tastes great. 2. Friendliest service anywhere in NY. For an extremely busy, popular establishment, the staff keeps smiles on their faces and the tables turning. We felt welcome and comfortable. Helpful hints A. Make a reservation in advance. You will get a separate table, as opposed to a communal table. You won't have to wait. B. Be prepared for the food to come out fast. Don't expect to dawdle. Choose what you want and expect it to arrive in short order. C. You will need approximately two dishes per person. Expect to share with your fellow diners. D. Expect some exotic flavors and aromas. You realize how watered-down American Thai food (especially in NY) is once you've had the pleasure of dining here. Shrimp and fish flavors, onions, etc. Fun place at which to dine! Recommended.

This was not our first time; my first time was a few months prior. We love coming here when in the city. I always get the papaya salad medium spice. Lychee Martinis... great taste, can have plenty of them. Anyway, great food and service. Must for a hip Thai place...

The food was authentic and delicious, a nice surprise on our visit to the Big Apple. Simple and casual atmosphere and efficient service. A must-visit for Thai food lovers in New York.

I was there with my friends. We order spicy food, which was good. I especially liked design of this restaurant and many kind od food.

Went here with my wife and a friend. All of their drinks are delicious. I recommend the Thai ice tea with milk and their ice coffee. The food was very flavorful, but quite spicy! If you’re someone who can’t handle spice, I’d say medium spice is quite hot. Ordered the mackerel with coconut rice dish with medium spice and you definitely feel the heat. All their food was delicious. Hip and trendy atmosphere.

I have been to this restaurant for dinner with a group of friends, we were really satisfied with our choice! The food and the price (30$ per person) were good, the service pretty fast. It is clearly not a fancy place, but perfect for a casual dinner with ok food.

A Michelin star restaurant with actually pretty cheap prices, the restaurant offers authentic northeastern Thai food.

I was drawn to this place by the flashy ambiance and colorful menu. Upon first glance, everything looked amazing, but I soon discovered that this is not the kind of thai food I am used to living in New York. Apparently, it's the cuisine of a particular region in Thailand, so don't expect the typical pad see ew or pad thai. I really didn't know what to order, and our server was pretty much non-existent, so I more or less arbitrarily ordered a Tum Thai Kai Kem, which was some sort of spicy papaya salad, along with some spring rolls and Nue Dad Dieo (deep-fried sun-dried beef). While there were some unique flavors, I would classify the food as decent at best. I'll take a decent pad thai over this any day.

I'd never fully appreciated Thai cuisine until I tried Somtum Der. They specialize in Northern Thai dishes. The chiilies, dill and coriander make the food very fresh and tasty. Try the spicy salads.

The taste is pretty good (in that, unlike your standard Thai restaurants in the US, the flavors are strong). The ambiance is great. The portions are somewhat insufficient, which is a bit of a disappointment. I'd characterize these as tapas rather than proper entrees.

My wife and I were in NYC celebrating her birthday. We had been to Samtun Der in Bangkok a couple years ago, so we decided to give it a try again. Flavours were very close to what we remembered from Thailand. Papaya salad and crab pad thai were delicious. Especial mention to the sticky rice. Service was good and the atmosphere relaxed and nice. Price was fair and we were satisfied with the overall experience.

It is now a second visit at Somtum Der (first was in 2017). The experience is still fantastic. Thai food at its best. The Green Papaye is a must do. Prices are extremely reasonably. The restaurant had a one star Michelin in 2016 and lost it (bit is still recommended) since then. A true culinary experience. The place is busy so come early or reserve a table

Really great Thai food. Very popular so plan accordingly. Delicious papaya salads and some good options for everyone in our group with a variety of needs.

Hard wood tables and seats. Cheap and very spicy hot. Sa Poak Tod chicken $10, my friends who are regulars think it is the best in NY. I was not convinced. Crab pad thai $16 was fine but prefer the food in Bangkok.

I have spent a few months in Thailand and, during that time, I regularly enjoyed papaya salad prepared in the traditional Isan style with fermented fish and field crabs. It can be challenging to find this style of papaya salad in some parts of Thailand, let alone half way around the world. So I was delighted to find that it was available at Somtum Der during my visit to New York. Fortunately, I had called ahead to reserve a table for one as, even on a Wednesday night, the restaurant was very busy. There is some counter seating at the front window of the restaurant where patrons can sit and enjoy a drink whilst waiting for a table to become available. When I ordered my traditional papaya salad, the waitress asked me whether I had eaten it before, explaining that some customers complain about the smell from the fermented fish. Personally, I don't find the dish to have an unpleasant odour, but for those with delicate noses, there are other styles of papaya salad on the menu. The menu is well laid out and includes helpful photos of the various options. In addition to my papaya salad (Tum-Poo Plara), I also chose the Thai prawn sashimi (Goong Chae Nam Pla) and an Isan style chicken soup with local herbs (Gang Om Kai). These were accompanied by a side order of sticky rice and a Thai Chang beer. The total cost of my dinner was a little under $50. I was impressed with the authentic papaya salad which left me with tingling lips, even though I'd chosen the medium spicy option. The prawn sashimi was outstanding. The soup was tasty but not as memorable as the other two dishes. I appreciated the fact that the sticky rice was served in a small bamboo container that allowed lumps to be pulled off and eaten by hand, Thai style. It was a very enjoyable dinner and I will be sure to visit Somtum Der whenever I am back in New York.

Despite a rocky start with staff struggling to cope with how busy the restaurant was, their subsequent care and attention turned things around. The food was delicious (though be aware that when it says spicy they mean it!) Ideal for a group as dishes are perfect for sharing. Recommendation: papaya salad and the crab meat pad thai.

My basic rule when I try Thai is to first try the Pad Thai. Then I'll order new things the next time I go. While not bad, I have had much better Pad Thai dinners as the taste was average. Also, it was missing peanuts and I am not allergic. Not worth the price!

I love this spot in the East Village for Isan cuisine. Spicy and delicious. Great dishes include the papaya salad with peanuts, duck larb, fried chicken, pad ki mao (noodle with pork and basil), pork skewers marinated in coconut milk, and house special grilled marinated pork. Order sticky rice to help with the spice (works much better than water).

Small Thai place although not too tiny by NY standards. Not easy to notice, only a small unobtrusive little wooden plaque sign outside, kind of have to know that it's there to find it. Inside decor is fairly simple but quite attractive, dimly lit with basket shade lights in the ceilings. Seating includes narrow bar on one side, narrow counter in front facing the window, communal tables with benches in the middle and regular tables along the wall. Big mirror wall in back making the place look much bigger. Spacing is pretty tight although standard by NY standards. Place accepts reservations which is a big plus. We first tried going there on a Saturday around 8 and it was packed with wait over an hour. So we gave up and went again the following day, a Sunday, and this time made a reservation. Around 7 the place was still packed but not as bad and with the reservation we were seated right away at the communal table. I can't say I was too impressed by the menu, which seemed not to have most of the dishes I'm used to seeing in Thai restaurants elsewhere, although the nice realistic photos were helpful. Maybe it's NY style since the week before I was at a Thai place on Long Island and It was similar. You can order most of the dishes in varying degrees of spiciness like mild, medium etc. Anyway we had the larb minced pork salad, which was excellent, pad Thai with crabmeat - a bit gimmicky and not actually better than the more usual with shrimps, a beef dish - nue rong hai flavorful but quite tough, another rice noodle dish - pad ki mao pork, which was ok, in retrospect better than the pad Thai, and yam grill mushroom which was not that interesting. Overall not bad, bit above average, and not inexpensive ($35/pp before tip with one drink each). My friends however seem to like the place more so all is good, since it's more important that they do because they live here and are more likely to come back.

I honestly come here at least every other week, so so good. Larbs and papaya salads are fantastic, can't really go wrong with anything on the menu. Cocktails are ok, food is the star though...my opinion this is the best Thai in NYC.

BIG fan of Somtum Der. Love the many options they serve up and their Isan Thai creations. This isn't your standard pad thai/pad see ew Thai restaurant. It's authentically delicious. Some of these dishes you won't ever see at other Thai places, so feel free to ask your server for recommendations. Share with your table, so you'll be able to try more items.

The dishes are Thai in the spiciness but there is lack of imagination and surprise in the dishes. A bit too oily everything. The papaya salad was OK, the pad seeu less.. I took a lemongrass martini which was awful. But the least he service is very kind. Don’t come especially if you’re not in the area, and if you in the LES your hungry and it’s raining that’s an option.

Dinner with a large group of friends. We called ahead and informed reservations not necessary. We were seated within 15 minutes. Service was attentive, meals well prepared. Small space, however did not feel rushed.Started with a few orders of papaya salad and deep fried chicken and then ordered a slew of other dishes. Finished with ordering all of the dessert dishes on the menu (the Taro in condensed coconut milk was the overall winner). Very good meal and enjoyed by all. Will certainly consider a return when in the area.

Great Thai restaurant, very reasonable prices for NYC, and good quality. I love the fact that you get spicy food and that theirs dishes are not Americanized. You really thing you are in Thailand for dinner time. Loved it!

The food here was very spicy, but I went here on a suggestion from a local friend knowing what to expect. Specialising in Northern Thai Food, there isn't any of the usual Pad Thai or Thai Green Curry. I tried a particularly hot beef salad and my friend had the papaya salad. Both were excellent. I didn't enjoy the chicken soup I chose - probably a little too authentic for my Western sensibilities, with its boiled cabbage and unable chicken parts. However, all in all, well priced, tasty, good atmosphere and passable cocktails.

A friend told me about this place. I went in to try not knowing what I was into, to my big surprise this is one of the very best Thai Food in NYC area. I ordered 3 items (I had to try them as they all sound so good in the menu and I haven't seem those items served in so called Thai Restaurants). Absolutely the BEST in town. And I should know, I am Thai.

My husband and I ordered and shared 4 dishes. All came out quickly and delicious one bite after the other. The cocktails were super tasty as well. The staff was very professional & efficient. Cute venue, warm & cozy. Definitely will return!

Attractive. I'd made a reservation for 7 pm Saturday--we could have walked in. Of course it got loud. Of course no one was over 40 except us. Food - ask for mild really. And service very fast.

The restaurant is simple, it is hard to get to, it is definitely worth the effort. We had the best larp (or larb) we have ever had; better than any we had in Thailand or Laos. The price is very reasonable, the service good to excellent. In sum, if you like Thai food, this is the place.

! Super easygoing place for lunch or dinner! You can be dressed as you wish! In this place everything is about the food and nothing else! And what is the most important – food is super tasty! This is real Thai food what means tasty by super spicy!!! Be careful if you don’t like spice! I went there few times and tried almost everything so you can just follow up my choice!

Elevated Thai. but still casual and comfortable. Perfect level of spicy. Highlights included the fried chicken, duck larb, and papaya salad. Will definitely be back!

had to see what the star was about after seeing it there for so many years. good result - i will be back to try more

Im thai and Im highly recommend somtum der if you would like to try the authentic e san food , I go there almost every time when im in newyork ;)

Somtum Der had been on my list of bookmarks for a while, so when my friends and I were looking for a Thai place, I suggested this restaurant. The four of us came in on a Friday night with an OpenTable reservation for 6:15. Happy hour is from 4-7. I can't remember the pricing but the drinks were only okay. We tried a few of their different martinis, which were pretty basic. My friend had one that straight up looked like mouthwash. I tried some lemongrass rice martini, which I didn't like at all. Stick to the basic martinis - think lychee, or mangosteen) To start, we all shared the papaya salad, and the grilled marinated beef. Both were great. The salad was nice and light - a perfect balance to the beef. The beef came with this special spicy dipping sauce, which went well with the rest of the flavors of the marinade. For the main, I had the pad kee mao (drunken noodles). The texture of the noodles were perfect, and overall, I enjoyed it. However, when I ordered it with pork, I was expecting either sliced or shredded pork, but it was ground pork. Not a huge deal, but just a bit strange since I've never had this variation before. But the ground pork wasn't very good. Also, not sure what was going on - maybe someone had a few too many martinis, but the entire place smelled like vomit and cleaning fluid. It was very unappetizing. Maybe it was a one-off situation but I think next time I come back, I'll order my food to go.

Great restaurant!!! Authentic Thai food with an authentic taste.... Lots of authentic right!!!! Lived in Thailand for some time, haven't tasted anything so close to the real home taste... In this restaurant you feel like you are in Thailand... So sad they didn't have the dessert sticky rice with mango... Nice cocktails too... Really cheap compared to New York prices... A must

I order the delivery from Somtum Der every week just because of the papaya salad. My friend is addicted to it too!!! I don't know why!!!

Exceptionally full throttle taste and spice levels—which shows a level of cultural confidence that Thai restaurants have traditionally lacked in dealing with non-Thai customers up to now. Likewise, in the Thai restaurant capital of the USA, Hollywood, this place does not temper its fire: the best Papaya salad I’ve had outside of Bangkok is to be had here, and truly exceptional Tom Yum, battle-axes that restauranteurs usually skew towards the spice inept palate. Beautiful food with a polite staff in the heart of Manhattan. Worth a special trip.

I wish there was a branch in the uk, I would visit regularly. This food is wonderful. Yes it is spicy but it's Thai food, it's supposed to be. If you prefer a more mild experience then eat chinese food. The lunch special is papaya salad, sticky rice and a good portion of chicken. Beer is optional. Good service and clean pleasant ambiance.

Good Thai style... enjoyed nice setting- reasonable price... had the fried chicken, papaya salad and some soup ... all good

When a restaurant has two locations, one is NYC and one in Bangkok, you know you're getting authentic Thai food! We went here in a group of 6 for an early dinner around 5 pm and were seated immediately, which was great. The line got very long when we left! The Pad Thai Mun Poo is a pad thai with crab meat and it was $15 and very delicious...but just a bit spicy! The Isan Fried Rice Noodles were delicious and nice accompaniment to the Moo Ping Kati Sod (grilled coconut milk marinated pork skewers). The food came out incredibly fast and it was all very flavorful, beautifully presented, and filling. It was also very reasonably priced. We lingered a little bit after we finished our meal and the waiter asked us to leave because there were people waiting in line to be seated. Although this was a little rude, I understand that we were taking up a lot of space and they wanted to fill the restaurant. This is New York afterall!

Really the best Somtum place in NYC. The taste is really authentic Isan Thai food. I’m from Thailand and I know that they really deliver. Casual service. Reasonable price.

It is difficult to find a decent thai restaurant in New York . A lot of them lack authenticity. However Somtum Der which was recommended to us from a thai friend, definitely lived up to its expectations. Huge variety including various papaya salads and menu sections with dishes from many regions . Service was pleasing. We had a superb evening - casual vibes and marvellous atmosphere . Only problem was deciding what to order! Only thing I would say is my crab pad Thai seemed a little bland like it was missing something - I asked for nuts to go ontop and the waitress brought them no problem. It completed the dish! I would recommend getting a couple of dishes and sharing . Everything else was perfect .