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Tong
Thai · Bushwick (West), New York City
Restaurant in New York City, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Kub Klaem Heat
Price
$$
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Tong is a useful Bushwick Thai pick when you want a vetted $$ dinner without turning the night into a splurge. The 2025 Michelin Plate gives it credibility, but the better reason to go is practical: it works for casual repeat visits, small groups, Thai food plans that do not need a tasting-menu format.
About Tong
Tong is a Thai restaurant in New York City with a $$ price point and a Michelin Plate for 2025. The most grounded way to plan around it is simple: use it when the goal is Thai food in New York City without moving into a higher price tier or treating the meal as a formal occasion.
A Thai pick for lunch or dinner, not an overcomplicated plan
The value case is clear: this is a $$ Thai restaurant in New York City with a Michelin Plate for 2025. Its hours include both midday and evening service daily, with dinner running later on Friday and Saturday than on the other nights.
For planning, keep the expectations practical. The details support Tong as a Thai restaurant with smart-casual dress and regular lunch and dinner windows. Specific dishes, beverage strengths, service format, seating details, reservation difficulty are not confirmed here, so build the plan around the basics: Thai cuisine, $$ pricing, the posted schedule.
Where it fits in a New York Thai rotation
Tong is one New York City option to consider when Thai food is the priority. For broader Thai shortlisting, compare it with Pranakhon, SaRanRom Thai, MayRee, Thai Diner, Zaab Zaab.
The main reason to choose Tong is direct: it is a Thai restaurant in New York City at a $$ price point with confirmed Michelin Plate recognition for 2025. Beyond that, keep the decision grounded in the practical details that are known: hours, cuisine, price, smart-casual dress.
Planning details
- Location
- 321 Starr St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
- Reservations
- Book on Resy
- Website
- tongbrooklyn.com
- Phone
- (718) 366-0586
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Tong channels the abrasive, high-heat flavors of Isaan inside a converted Bushwick warehouse. The dining room’s concrete floors and metal walls with gold accents read industrial and communal rather than precious, and the menu mirrors that aesthetic: direct, assertive dishes built for sharing. Chilies are structural across the menu, and the kitchen’s uncompromising approach to heat reinforces the restaurant’s tougher-edged personality. The result is a modern Brooklyn spot that feels both raw and purposeful — a place where street‑food intensity meets an industrial dining room designed for lively, shared meals.
Best For
This is a restaurant that revolves around shared plates and drinks, so it naturally suits groups and celebrations as well as more intimate evenings out. The kub klaem framework—small plates meant to accompany drinking—makes Tong an excellent after‑work stop or a destination for happy‑hour style ordering, where dishes build into a full meal through accumulation rather than courses. The communal layout and bold flavors reward parties who want to graze, share, and trade plates rather than follow a formal multi-course structure.
Ordering Tips
Be prepared for heat: servers ask whether you eat spicy food because the kitchen does not moderate chilies as a courtesy. Embrace the kub klaem model by ordering several small plates to share rather than individual entrees. Start with punchy snacks and grilled meats, and trade dishes around the table so everyone samples a range of textures and flavors. Signature items to consider include fried banana blossoms, crispy rice with fermented pork, grilled pork jowl and khao soi—each highlights the Isaan and northeastern Thai influences that define the menu.
Venue details
Ambiance
Sleek dining room with concrete warehouse floors, rustic metal walls accented with gold flecks, offering a lively Bushwick street food vibe.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Medium
Signature Dishes
- fried_banana_blossoms
- crispy_rice_with_fermented_pork
- grilled_pork_jowl
- khao_soi
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to go if Tong does not fit
Pick Thai Diner if the group wants a more downtown-friendly Thai plan at a similar $$ price point. Pick Pranakhon if the occasion can justify a $$$ Thai dinner.
Restaurant context
How Tong compares with nearby Thai options
Choose Tong when Brooklyn convenience and $$ value matter more than a higher-spend night. Pranakhon sits in a $$$ tier, so it is the better cross-shop if the group wants a more expensive Thai dinner. Tong is the cleaner choice when the brief is credible Thai food without pushing the bill into a larger-night category.
Zaab Zaab, SaRanRom Thai, MayRee, Thai Diner all share the same $$ price signal, so the decision comes down to location and mood. Tong is the Bushwick pick; Thai Diner is the more obvious downtown cross-shop; Zaab Zaab, SaRanRom Thai, MayRee make more sense when their neighborhoods are easier for the group.
For booking pressure, Tong is the low-friction option in this set. Use it when the group wants Thai without building the night around the reservation. If the table wants a more scene-driven or higher-budget meal, Pranakhon is the more natural comparison.
Explore New York City
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Tong guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Tong
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tong | New York City | Thai | 2025 Michelin Plate | $$ |
| Zaab Zaab | New York City | Thai | 2026 Eater NY 38 Best Restaurants in New York City · #132026 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City · #382025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #2552025 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #2532024 Michelin Bib Gourmand | $$ |
| Pranakhon | New York City | Thai | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 OAD Casual in North America2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand | $$$ |
| SaRanRom Thai | New York City | Thai | 2026 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City · #602025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand | $$ |
| MayRee | New York City | Thai | 2025 Michelin Plate | $$ |
| Thai Diner | New York City | Thai | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #242026 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City · #522025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #82025 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2025 New York Magazine The 43 Best Restaurants in New York2024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #222024 Michelin Bib Gourmand2023 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #23 | $$ |
How Tong New York City compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a first-timer know about Tong?
Start here if you want a $$ Thai meal in New York City with a 2025 Michelin Plate. Tong's details are simple: Thai cuisine, $$ pricing, smart-casual dress, daily lunch and dinner hours.
What should I wear to Tong?
Tong's dress code is smart casual. You do not need formalwear; clean, practical smart-casual clothing fits the guidance.
Is lunch or dinner better at Tong?
Both lunch and dinner are supported by Tong's hours. Lunch is listed daily from 12–3:30 PM, dinner is listed daily, with later closing times on Friday and Saturday.
What are alternatives to Tong in New York City?
For other Thai options in New York City, consider Zaab Zaab, Pranakhon, SaRanRom Thai, MayRee, Thai Diner. Tong stands as a Thai restaurant with $$ pricing and a Michelin Plate for 2025.
Is Tong good for a special occasion?
Tong can work if a Thai meal in New York City at a $$ price point fits the occasion. A more specific claim about atmosphere, formality, or celebration style is not confirmed here, so use the smart-casual dress code and posted hours to guide the plan.
