Fish Cheeks Introduce
For New Yorkers seeking a truly authentic, flavor-packed Thai experience that ventures beyond the familiar, Fish Cheeks on Bond Street is a standout destination. Situated in the trendy NoHo/East Village area, this acclaimed establishment operates as a specialized Thai and Seafood restaurant, offering a critically celebrated menu inspired by the diverse, often coastal, regional cuisines of Thailand. The name itself, "Fish Cheeks," is derived from the tender cheek meat of a fish, considered a delicacy in Asia, signaling the restaurant's focus on premium seafood and authentic culinary detail.
The culinary philosophy at Fish Cheeks is to deliver uncompromising, unfiltered, and intense flavors—the kind of traditional dishes craved by the Thai immigrant team behind the restaurant. The food is celebrated for being simultaneously comforting and bold, utilizing unbridled spices and herbs to create complex and memorable dishes served family-style. The atmosphere perfectly complements the food: it is described as casual, cozy, and distinctly trendy, with a vibrant, energetic feel that makes it a popular spot for groups, family gatherings, or an exciting solo dining experience. While it can get loud and busy, the electric, lively ambiance contributes to its reputation as a New York City favorite.
Fish Cheeks is conveniently located at 55 Bond St, New York, NY 10012, USA. This address places it squarely in the heart of NoHo, a vibrant and easily accessible Manhattan neighborhood known for its artistic and culinary attractions, providing a magnetic pull for both local residents and global tourists. Its central location ensures excellent connectivity to the rest of the city.
Accessibility is a key consideration for the restaurant, which provides essential features to accommodate all patrons. The location offers a Wheelchair Accessible Entrance, Wheelchair Accessible Restroom, and Wheelchair Accessible Seating, ensuring a comfortable dining experience for guests with mobility needs. For those traveling by car, the immediate vicinity provides both Free Street Parking and Paid Street Parking options, a valuable amenity in the bustling downtown Manhattan area. For public transit users, the restaurant is easily reached via the nearby subway stations serving the 6, B, D, F, M, N, R, and W lines.
Fish Cheeks offers a full spectrum of dining services and operational flexibility, making it a highly adaptable venue for nearly any occasion. The core service options are comprehensive, covering all daily meal periods and dining preferences:
- In-House Dining: Available for Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner with full Seating and Table Service.
- Reservation Policy: Accepts Reservations, but due to its high demand, Brunch Reservations are Recommended, Lunch Reservations are Recommended, and Dinner Reservations are Recommended. Patrons should note there is Usually a Wait for walk-ins.
- Takeout and Delivery: Offers both Takeout and traditional Delivery, including a No-Contact Delivery option for enhanced safety and convenience.
- Outdoor Seating: Provides Outdoor Seating, a highly desirable feature in New York City for enjoying a meal street-side in a trendy neighborhood.
- Full Bar Service: Features a Bar Onsite, serving a full array of Alcohol, Beer, Hard Liquor, and Wine.
- Payment Methods: Accepts Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and NFC Mobile Payments, ensuring modern and convenient transaction processing.
The highlights of Fish Cheeks truly revolve around its distinct menu and professional service. The restaurant is renowned for specializing in bold, complex, and seafood-driven Thai cuisine, setting it apart from many other Thai establishments in the city. Key features include:
- Seafood and Curry Specialties: The restaurant is famous for its Coconut Crab Curry (a Southern-style, extra-spicy curry) and the Steamed Fish (such as Branzino or Tile Fish), prepared with chili, lime, mint, and cilantro in a bright, aromatic broth.
- Signature 'Must-Order' Dishes: Highly-rated items include the flavorful Crab Fried Rice, the acclaimed Zabb Wings (fried chicken wings with chili, lime, and mint), and the succulent Pork Cheeks marinated in fish sauce. The Beef Karpow, a wok stir-fry of minced beef with holy basil, is another fan favorite.
- Exceptional Cocktails and Happy Hour: Known for its Great Cocktails, which are described as “stunning” and “potent.” The restaurant offers Happy Hour Drinks and Happy Hour Food daily, a notable perk for a high-end restaurant.
- Dietary Inclusivity: Offers Healthy Options, Vegetarian options, and a dedicated Gluten-Free Menu, accommodating various dietary needs while maintaining authentic Thai flavors.
- Service and Atmosphere: Praised for Fast Service and a welcoming, attentive staff, despite the frequently crowded and energetic atmosphere. The space is noted for its stylish, trendy design.
- Small Plates and Family Style: Offers Small Plates and focuses on family-style dining, encouraging sharing and trying a variety of their intensely flavored dishes.
For New Yorkers ready to experience this highly-regarded Thai spot, here is the essential contact information:
- Address: 55 Bond St, New York, NY 10012, USA
- Phone: (212) 677-2223
The primary phone number is consistent for both landline and mobile contact, and due to the restaurant’s popularity, calling ahead or using an online reservation service is strongly recommended to secure a table for any meal period.
Choosing Fish Cheeks is about more than just finding a Thai restaurant; it is opting for a culinary adventure defined by fresh seafood and bold, unapologetic Thai heat. It is worth choosing for several compelling reasons:
- Flavor Profile and Authenticity: This is Thai food as it is genuinely eaten in Thailand—seafood-centric, complex, and unadulterated by Western palate expectations. It avoids the 'choose-your-protein' model, insisting on specific combinations to maximize flavor, which results in dishes like the unparalleled Coconut Crab Curry.
- A Destination for Drinks and Food: The combination of a full bar serving noted Cocktails and a daily Happy Hour for both food and drinks positions Fish Cheeks as an exceptional pre-dinner or early evening social hub, not just a place for a meal.
- The Whole Experience: The commitment to quality is evident in the rave reviews for the food, the inviting and trendy atmosphere, and the inviting staff. It offers a premium, memorable dining experience that resonates deeply with local food enthusiasts.
- High-Stakes, High-Reward Dining: While one customer noted the 'Prawn Karee' being messy due to the shell-on prawns—a traditional method often employed to enhance the flavor of the sauce and protect the delicate meat—the consensus is that the overall taste and quality of every dish, from the Pork Cheeks to the Branzino, are consistently exceptional and justify the occasional inconvenience. Patrons should be ready to get messy for maximum flavor.
Fish Cheeks is a quintessential New York dining experience—vibrant, high-energy, and intensely flavorful, offering a unique and deeply satisfying taste of coastal Thai cuisine.
Fish Cheeks Details
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- No-contact delivery
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Great cocktails
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Comfort food
- Happy hour drinks
- Happy hour food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Small plates
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
Dining options
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Trendy
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Groups
- Tourists
Planning
- Brunch reservations recommended
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Accepts reservations
- Usually a wait
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Parking
- Free street parking
- Paid street parking
Fish Cheeks Photos










Fish Cheeks Location
Fish Cheeks Reviews
crab curryhappy hoursteamed fishcoconut crabpork cheekscorn saladcrab saucemanila clamsdry rubgrilled mackerel
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1‘Fish Cheeks’ is hands-down, my favorite restaurant in all of New York City. The food is incredible. Having eaten almost everything off the menu at one point or another I can honestly say that the flavors are comforting and bold at the same time. My favorites are the curry scallops, Crab curry, The crab fried rice, beef Karpow, The crispy rice salad with pork, The oysters, The raw marinated crab, the tile fish, and how could I forget the Zabb Wings!!! I love the atmosphere of the restaurant, the attention to detail, the bathroom fixtures!!! Every single time I’ve been here the staff has been nothing but inviting and kind. Always eager to answer any questions and attentive. It’s so good that I have to go at least once a month sometimes more ha ha ha ha and I tell everyone that I know to go. Not that fish cheeks needs another great review But I cannot recommend it enough!!
October 08 · Liam BarredoThe food was delicious! I almost gave it 5 stars because every dish was so flavorful. The only issue? The Prawn Karee. They serve the prawns with the shells still on — why?! You end up having to dig in with your hands, peel the prawns, and by the time you’re done, there’s barely any curry left on them. Then you have to dip them back in, which just gets messy. If they peeled the prawns first, this would easily be a 5-star dish.Also, there was only 1 bathroom for the WHOLE restaurant. You had to wait 20 mins each time! Just standing there with prawn fingers 😩Still, everything tasted amazing overall! I would recommend everything we ordered.What we ordered:- The Branzino- Zabb Wings- Pork Cheeks- The Beef Karpow- Prawn Karee- Crab Fried Rice
October 09 · Jordan MauldinAll I can say is that I was blown away by the restaurant's decor, service, and the depth of flavor in everything I tried at Fish Cheeks.They delivered in every way, and I was particularly impressed with their Zabb Wings, Mussels and Duck Curry. The dry rub on the wings (which you can buy on their website) topped with fried makrut lime leaves are incredibly unique, and was a standout detail of the meal.This is a place I will be talking about and recommending for a long time.Make a reservation in advance, or - my favorite - have a late lunch and the make dinner plans for later in the night around 9:30-10pm to walk up. Works even on a Saturday night. Enjoy!
October 04 · Matt BrownHonestly, one of the best meals I’ve ever had. So delicious. I’ve been to Thailand, and this food was better than some I had over there… which is wild & incredible & says so much about the New York food scene. It was delicious. Service was quick, atmosphere was electric. 10/10!
October 15 · Sachi KulkarniCame at noon for lunch without a reservation. There was a short line. Waited about 5-10 minutes and then they seated our party of three. The cocktails are stunning, one more gorgeous than the next. We ordered 2 apps, the shrimp ceviche and the crispy pork fried rice. We each ordered our own entrees, a crab curry, sticky crispy pork belly, and crab with glass noodles. I had the noodle dish which had jumbo lump crab and pieces of bacon. While everything was tasty, the noodle dish was the best out of the three. Definitely recommend.
September 19 · Loren Avellino
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