Hsin Yi Wei

We had been planning to visit Zaab Zaab Elmhurst location for a while and finally got a chance last weekend. Their decor is cozy like home with limited tables but the wait wasn’t too bad. We heard their Thai style grilled chicken is one of the recommendations from Bib Gourmand so we had Gai Yang Vichean which came with 2 different types of Som Tum, lettuce, sauce and rice to share. The portion of the chicken was more than enough for 4. It’s a little dry but amazingly delicious to enjoy with unique sauces. It came with 2 different salads and I love the classical Som Tum Thai. One of our favorites tonight was their Kau Lau Hotpot which the ingredients were various with great portion. The broth was sweet and the meat texture was braised soft.

+5

유나

I'll be real here and say we came here after seeing a Righteous Eats TikTok about this place, but I'm so glad we stopped by. Zaab Saab is an amazing place to get Isaan Thai food! The service was quick and friendly, and our server even made recommendations when we asked. I am a spicy food fiend, so I adored the spicy levels of the food here even if it did make me cry just a little bit 😉. In any case, the Thai iced tea made a refreshing addition to our meal. Add the raw marinated black crab to your dish if you can! It really reminds me of Korean raw marinated crab, with an interesting punch to it. I also really loved the decor. Interestingly, it's very chicken-centered in there, which gives it a funky and interesting vibe!

+1

Karaoke Superstar

Northern Thai cuisine, their isan papaya salad is the closest to home made that I have found in NYC. It's clean, modern and still retained the traditional container for the sticky rice. The food is delicious, portions are good for the price and the service is friendly and helpful. If you have a pet, the restaurant has a small outdoor seating area with astroturf (fake grass) that you can bring with you. We will be coming back to try their other dishes.

+17

Melissa Saw

Boy did this place lived up to the hype! Once again, the Yelp community (thanks!) delivered as we ordered the Signature Salt Encrusted Fish, ‘Crying Tiger’ rib eye, Crab fried rice which were all amazing. Just be prepared to pay but know that you are getting a one-of-a-kind dish, the best quality and freshest ingredients when you dine here. Get lost in little Thailand with its great deco, chill vibes and all in all a great place to hang and have great food with friends and family. Quit your FOMO and get here ASAP as I know I’m already making plans to bring more friends to enjoy this Isan cuisine.

+1

Michael Shen

Excellent, not-your-average-repertoire Thai food in a very tastefully decorated space. Caveat being that you better be prepared to contend with some heat! Most dishes are not for the faint of heart, though a nice Thai iced tea helps with the burn.

+1

N R

One of the best Thai restaurants in NYC. I loved their food the ambiance the decor and their nice outdoor sitting arrangements. The Crying tiger steak was the best dish on the menu. The crab fried rice and the steamed whole fish was soo good, it makes me want to go back again. I will be back to try out other items on the menu.

+2

Nicely decorated restaurant. Ive been to many thai restaurants and i would say that zaab zaab’s flavors is definitely different. We asked for mild spicy but its still really spicy for me. I wasn’t able to eat more of it due to the spice. If the spiciness was something that i can tolerate il prolly enjoy these dishes but still very good flavors. PS: i included a picture of the spot where we almost slipped 3 times. Maybe consider taking a look at that spot as it tends to get cramp at that area if people are occupying the spaces around it. Better be safe than having an occupational hazard. Lastly there were a few flies flying around.

Anna Chang

Very much liked the fresh vegetables here from the papaya salad to the morning glory and the fresh lettuce , mint, cilantro, and basil that accompanied the flavorful sides like larb. That is what makes this Thai place unique.

A Segura

Friendly staff. Great food. Was not disappointed with the seafood hotpot. Fried fish was so good. Picture was the aftermath of the soup. Wine and beer only.

Anna Lee-Winans

Zaab Zaab means Delicious Delicious and that is what this place is. Cuisine from northeast Thailand, this is not your typical NYC Thai fare with spices and sauces in combinations that sing. We had the Thai green ice tea - refreshing on a hot day and cooled off the legit Thai heat coming from our dishes: Tom Hang: the tripe and spleen were cooked to perfection - just the right amount of chew and flavor was fresh. Loved the two sauces - one hot, one bitter Nan Khao Tod: menu says croquettes but it's like the crispy rice at the bottom of a clay pot mixed with a fermented pork sausage. A flavor explosion. So good. Surf and Turf skewers: tbh this had the last flavor but was cooked to perfection - not overdone at all - very fresh. The flavor and heat came from the dipping sauce. The salt baked fish: chef's kiss. A must get - I have never had a whole fish cooked to perfection like this. Juicy, steaming, fresh. The herbs and noodles in a rice wrap with two sauces - one chili and peanuts, one tamarind and shallots. Our servers were attentive and informative. No condescension and joyfully made recommendations. Inside is bright and welcoming. There's one all-gender bathroom. We will be back.

+1

Joseph Raczynski

Classic Northern Thai fare - spicy, rich flavors and texture in a relaxed environment. Every one of the dishes, I would order again - some were very spicy, soup and larb.

+13

Jessica Schnell

We wanted to try the unusual dishes we'd never heard of before. So spicy, we could barely eat what we ordered (-1 ⭐), even with downing a Thai iced coffee. Larb gai (ground chicken) we could not finish, but eventually did finish gaeng om pork loin as leftovers. There wasn't any warning on the menu at all, or scale of spiciness. Fantastic outdoor seating, attentive service. Beware the chilies!

+1

Junnan Liao

Very close to what I tasted in northern Thailand cuisine. Unfortunately, all the three dishes I ordered are super spicy, we couldn’t finish all. the spice taste is so typical thai spicy, like dried pepper chip with lime , spicy and sour. I will go back for their small bites and whole fish next time