Truly a delightful restaurant! Very underrated. Food was AMAZING, service was OUTSTANDING, atmosphere was COZY. 100% recommend the food! You will not be disappointed. Both our appetizers and entrees were fabulous. The chicken skewered and pork dumplings apps were fabulous!

Thai food seems easy to find in New York City but when you find a place as good as Lil Chef Mama, you should consider yourself fortunate. That name is fitting too because it’s not often I eat restaurant Thai food as good as MY mama’s but this is pretty close! (sorry mom!)

Lil Chef Mama: A Hidden Gem for Authentic Thai Cuisine in FiDi 🇹🇭🍲

Nestled in the heart of Manhattan’s Financial District, Lil Chef Mama serves up some of the most authentic and delicious Thai cuisine in NYC. Family-owned since the 1982, this spot offers a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of dining in Thailand.

Their lunch specials are a must-try, featuring flavorful dishes like crispy spring rolls and soul-warming pork belly noodle soup 🍜. Every dish is crafted with care, ensuring an unforgettable meal.

The friendly service makes all the difference — whether you’re a local or tourist, you’ll feel right at home here 🤗.

If you’re craving an authentic Thai experience with exceptional food and hospitality, Lil Chef Mama is a must-visit! 🙌

#LilChefMama #ThaiFoodNYC #AuthenticThai #FiDiEats #NYCRestaurants #FoodieAdventures #SupportLocal #DeliciousEats #HiddenGem #NYCFoodie

We went for dinner.
Opted for Vegan, the dishes were tasty.
Only mixed up......they first served curry with mushrooms, which we had opted out,as one of us is allergic to it.
They took back the dish ,fished out the mushrooms and gave back the same plate ,again with two pieces left in it......NOT DONE.
Fried rice with Egg ,Vegan ????
Again sent back.
There wasn't much rush when we went, being a week day.
I guess it's all because of staff deficiency.....🤔

Food was delicious and at a good price for new york! I was honestly so pleasantly surprised for thai this good in manhattan, it was absolutely delicious. The ambiance was nice and the staff was super friendly. Could not recommend this place more and will be coming back!

Yummy Thai, consistent with reliable Thai restaurants in the city. The interior is beautiful which you can’t tell given their understated facade. Staff was nice and polite. Waited a bit longer than expected for my order but my dog and I sat comfortably in a nice area. Particularly liked the pork and sticky rice combo. Pad see ew is my go to Thai noodle dish but I tend to ask for a broccoli sub as I don’t like it. But it’s rare to have them replaced.

Really enjoyed this Thai food restaurant! Went for a quick, casual dinner and was pleasantly surprised. Good menu selection with large portion size, comfortable relaxed atmosphere and quick service. Great aesthetics all around - even the bathroom was very nicely decorated. Highly recommended!

Cozy Thai Restaurant. Great food and service. Dropped in on a Saturday for lunch and I left wondering why it was so empty.

We tried both their pad see ew and pineapple fried rice. Both were very tasty and well made! Portion sizes are also pretty big to boot.

Their Thai milk tea and milk green tea were both a great compliment to the meal too. I'd definitely recommend stopping by for a quick meal!

Such a cute place with the best service - had a delicious brunch experience

I ordered shrimp pad Thai on Uber eats, I waited 35 mins for my order the delivery guy didn’t even follow the instructions of the address it’s not like I ordered to my house it was coming to my workplace, I had to walk to meet the delivery person, I get my order and there’s no utensil after I specified in details to add utensils!!!
The food was super cold, the taste was terrible tastes like straight up EGGS no flavor or anything it was disgusting I called in to speak to the manager and he’s like oh I’m sorry next time I give u appetizer, THERE WONT BE A NEXT TIME, dude expected me to eat with my hands not worth $25.

Warm, cozy and attentive service. I'm pescatarian, so I ordered seafood dishes - pan-fried fish, seafood medley with basil sauce. My family had dumplings, chicken in puff pastry, and shrimp rolls for apps and duck for a main. We all enjoyed the food and conversation, a memorable Sunday afternoon in FiDi but felt like we were in a local restaurant in the Thai suburbs.

Lil Chef Mama: A Hidden Gem for Authentic Thai Cuisine in FiDi 🇹🇭🍲

Nestled in the heart of Manhattan’s Financial District, Lil Chef Mama serves up some of the most authentic and delicious Thai cuisine in NYC. Family-owned since the 1982, this spot offers a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of dining in Thailand.

Their lunch specials are a must-try, featuring flavorful dishes like crispy spring rolls and soul-warming pork belly noodle soup 🍜. Every dish is crafted with care, ensuring an unforgettable meal.

The friendly service makes all the difference — whether you’re a local or tourist, you’ll feel right at home here 🤗.

If you’re craving an authentic Thai experience with exceptional food and hospitality, Lil Chef Mama is a must-visit! 🙌

#LilChefMama #ThaiFoodNYC #AuthenticThai #FiDiEats #NYCRestaurants #FoodieAdventures #SupportLocal #DeliciousEats #HiddenGem #NYCFoodie

Authentic Thai Flavors in the Heart of FiDi! 🇹🇭🍜

Craving real Thai food in NYC? Lil Chef Mama has been serving up authentic flavors in the Financial District since 1982! This family-owned gem brings the taste of Thailand to Manhattan with delicious lunch specials, a cozy atmosphere, and warm hospitality.

From crispy spring rolls to rich pork belly noodle soup, every dish is packed with tradition and flavor. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, this spot is a must-try! Stop by and experience Thai comfort food at its best.

#LilChefMama #ThaiFoodNYC #FiDiEats #AuthenticThai #Since1982 #HiddenGem #NYCFoodie #EatLocal #NYCDining

Truly a delightful restaurant! Very underrated. Food was AMAZING, service was OUTSTANDING, atmosphere was COZY. 100% recommend the food! You will not be disappointed. Both our appetizers and entrees were fabulous. The chicken skewered and pork dumplings apps were fabulous!

First time here and the food was very good. I had the Pad Thai with Yellow Curry. It was def one of the better Pad Thai's I have had. The staff was nice and friendly. I will def be back. The holes in the wall always serve the best food!

Been to this place many times since my original review. The food is always amazing!

Pad thai tasted very good but portions were pretty small for the price. Fried rice and chicken satay tasted okay but again very pricey for the portions provided. Shrimps were also small.

Good food and great service :)
Had 2 items on the brunch menu tasted great: Fried Boneless Chicken and Roti Chicken Curry. The chicken was crispy on the outside, soft inside and honestly better than popeyes fried chicken to me. The roti was good too.
Also ordered the Kang Keaw Wan - green curry. It says very spicy but I found it totally enjoyable and not burn your mouth spicy.

A neighborhood favorite! The pineapple fried rice with pork is delicious and so flavorful

Best Thai food I've had in Manhattan; very authentic, high quality food

absolutely love this place! the food is amazing and the ambiance is very pretty as well. my go-to in Fidi.

We went for dinner.
Opted for Vegan, the dishes were tasty.
Only mixed up......they first served curry with mushrooms, which we had opted out,as one of us is allergic to it.
They took back the dish ,fished out the mushrooms and gave back the same plate ,again with two pieces left in it......NOT DONE.
Fried rice with Egg ,Vegan ????
Again sent back.
There wasn't much rush when we went, being a week day.
I guess it's all because of staff deficiency.....🤔

We usually ordered Pad Thai here. It was the kind we liked, light brown color and only slightly sweet. Both the noodles and shrimp were perfectly cooked. On our most recent visit, we decided to try a different noodle dish, Pad Sieew (with beef). It reminded me of the Chinese beef chow fun (fried rice noodles) but not as good.

We had tried two different fish dishes. Pla Kra Prow (fish filet with basil) had smaller pieces of deep fried filet. Though crispy and flavorful, it was too salty. Pla Lad Prik (garlic chili fish filet) had one big piece of fried filet, which we liked better. However, its “toppings" were a bit sweet.

Had their Tom Yum Soup once. Its flavor wasn't to our liking, but the shrimp were fresh and tender.

Amazing Thai food and beautiful decor! The food was prepared with care and authenticity. Met Mama Tool the owner who has a real passion for quality of service!

This is very average maybe even sub average Chinatown fare. Eating here makes you appreciate an exceptional place like Fish Cheeks more.

Appetizers that I had were dry and lackluster. Entree plate was really greasy. Service was uneventful. Employee shud not smoke at the door because the smoke just come rushing in since door is opened. But these characteristics are typical of Chinatown even though you’re in FiDi.

Ambiance looks tired and old. They shud really tidy up place or renovate since it has high ceiling and potential to look amazing. Even though locale is off beaten track, it’s a great place for nightclub nightlife.

Great place. Nice ambience. We have chive cakes, country noodles with tofu and the sauteed eggplant, all delicious. Many vegetarian options.

Food is okay, i got the green curry chicken
. I got the sake cocktail its ok aswell.

Food was delicious and at a good price for new york! I was honestly so pleasantly surprised for thai this good in manhattan, it was absolutely delicious. The ambiance was nice and the staff was super friendly. Could not recommend this place more and will be coming back!

Thai food seems easy to find in New York City but when you find a place as good as Lil Chef Mama, you should consider yourself fortunate. That name is fitting too because it’s not often I eat restaurant Thai food as good as MY mama’s but this is pretty close! (sorry mom!)

Beautiful decor and friendly waiters, but food was terrible. I left hungry and very disappointed and sad. The soup was so spicy so I couldn’t even eat it. And dumplings didn’t have a flavor at all, like chowing a baby pacifier. Also the dishes they serve food looks like they got it from jail 🙄!

Love this place. Best Thai in the area!!!

Came in for lunch. Condensed menu with all the classics on the entree side as well as the apps.

Pad Kee Mao: very fresh and hot! Got it spicy and it was well balanced, not too spicy. Only drawback is that there was mushrooms in the dish. I’ve never had mushrooms in this meal. Felt out of place, especially since I don’t like mushrooms

Thai iced tea: classic, nice, sweet

Looks like they are undergoing some renovations but the place is pretty large with a cool kitchen right in the middle

Very special place!! Toon the owner makes sure you are well taken care of. She has been doing thai food in New York for decades. It was a real honor to meet her and experience the sweet potato dish!

Food is great. Service is great. It was fast. Went for lunch. Menu is not easy for first time but stuff is very helpful.

Beautiful little spot with super friendly staff. The food was on point and the serving size and price was appropriate. The mock duck was delicious, fresh and better than any other Thai restaurant I've been too. Flavors were light and not overbearing.

Yummy Thai, consistent with reliable Thai restaurants in the city. The interior is beautiful which you can’t tell given their understated facade. Staff was nice and polite. Waited a bit longer than expected for my order but my dog and I sat comfortably in a nice area. Particularly liked the pork and sticky rice combo. Pad see ew is my go to Thai noodle dish but I tend to ask for a broccoli sub as I don’t like it. But it’s rare to have them replaced.

So far the best Thai restaurant in Manhattan! The flavors of noodles - Pad Thai and Drunken Noodle are on point, better than any other place I have tried in Manhattan. I would go so far as to say this place is way better than some Thai restaurants on Michelin Guide and one star! I hope they continue to make delicious Thai food for years to come.

Solid food, reasonable prices, and great service. Restaurant was spacious as well.

About as good as the sum of its parts, which were acceptable. Hardly spicy.

Really enjoyed this Thai food restaurant! Went for a quick, casual dinner and was pleasantly surprised. Good menu selection with large portion size, comfortable relaxed atmosphere and quick service. Great aesthetics all around - even the bathroom was very nicely decorated. Highly recommended!

Astounding. wish i could give 7 stars

Food was great, not too familiar with thai food so i cant really bench mark it. The service was also great too, staff were friendly and helpful.

Overall had a great experience, the staff were friendly and helpful and the vibes were nice. I ordered the beef Pad See ew and it was a lil more sweeter to my liking but the beef itself and the noodles were great.

The food was almost flavorless, the plating lacked appeal and the service seemed disorganized and slow

Cozy Thai Restaurant. Great food and service. Dropped in on a Saturday for lunch and I left wondering why it was so empty.

We tried both their pad see ew and pineapple fried rice. Both were very tasty and well made! Portion sizes are also pretty big to boot.

Their Thai milk tea and milk green tea were both a great compliment to the meal too. I'd definitely recommend stopping by for a quick meal!

Best Thai food in NYC. Have tried just about every dish over many years at this location and others. Be patient, this is like having a meal cooked especially for you, well worth it. Amazing flavors, fresh ingredients and much care put into preparation. Fabulous Thai food in NY.

Fried rice portions are large. One plate is good for 2 people. Reasonably priced. Dinner entries between $20-$30. Nice ambiance. Has vegan options.

Great experience there so beautiful and welcoming from entrance through all the way inside. Service is the best great choice for recommendations. Food is fantastic get the whole coconut for refreshment ♥️

Beautiful and spacious dining area + friendly staff. However, if you are looking for the authentic Thai cuisines, this is not the place for you. We order papaya salad, pad kee mao, and green curry rice… All of them are VERY sweet and heavy. Additionally, they are not using the correct ingredients for these meals 🥲 we didn’t feel well after the meal.

I ordered for delivery to a hotel downtown. Thai iced coffee, pad Thai chicken, fried shrimp roll and beef satay. Good was decent. Beef was a bit tough, the chicken was overcooked and they gave me tea instead of coffee. Also wish they would have bright me some utensils as I told them we are staying a a hotel. I would try them again at the restaurant to see if it’s better.
Oh and the tea was half spilled, but that can happen in delivery. Maybe they can take a bit better care in how they pack.

I had the curry here and it was great. This place is a good price for solid food. I like the inside and it’s never super crowded. The staff is always really friendly and nice and the inside is pretty!

Amazing place with delicious food!
Atmosphere is very cozy and welcoming.
It’s a hidden gem in the heart of Manhattan.
Perfect for dates and casual dinners too.
Me and my boyfriend took Red Chicken Curry and Tom Kha soup with shrimps.
My soup was very flavourful!
Highly recommend!

P.S.: prices are pretty affordable for such place! Hurry up before they go up :)

I love coming to this place after work with my co-workers! The food, service, and atmosphere are so good. I love open concept and seeing into the kitchen. We've been a few times now and always leave looking forward to our next visit!

Lucky to find this place. Food was excellent as was the service. All the people there were extremely nice. Great place

Enjoy this restaurant before someone posts this gem on tik tok and it’s impossible to get a table. Everything is a 10/10 from food o service.

My favourite place in NYC, the most delicious Thai food and the best staff! 🤩🤩🤩

Delicious Thai restaurant good for large parties. Servings were decent and cheap.

Went as a big group with friends for a birthday celebration. The staff was so nice and friendly and accommodating. The food and drinks were absolutely amazing!

Green Curry is just awesome.

Just left lunch here with 4 other ladies. 3 of us had good food but my aunt and I didn't. She ordered roti with massaman curry. The roti was extremly greasy, 3 of us tried a piece of it. When I bit into it, oil squeezed out as though i bit into an oil soaked sponge. She asked for the roti to be removed from the bill. I ordered the wings and honey pork slider. Both were inedibly salty. Just not good at all. The server never asked how the food was to give me the opportunity to let them know. During our meal they never checked in. I only ate one wing and my aunt also tried one and we both decided against eating them. I took two bites of the slider. Despite my food being mostly uneaten we were never checked on or asked if everything was alright. The server cleared my plates without asking about packing it up or whether it was good so that seemed deliberate. I would not return, we were all seriously disappointed in the lack of attentiveness when it came to the food that was unsatisfactory. All we really wanted them to do was at least ask "how is it?" So we would communicate our issues. I would've been happy to order something else like the panang curry my cousin got which was actually good. Unfortunate experience overall, there are many other great Thai restaurants all over NYC so I would never recommend this place.

Great food. Didn't expect a good Thai brunch creation but they pulled it off

Authentic Thai cuisine in NYC
Served by Thai people
Genuine hospitality
Pro tip - some items take a little longer, peep the menu and order in advance if needed, but their order times aren’t bad at all

Great spot that returned to Fidi after many years! Love their sauces and food presentations. A local gem for sure

Lovely place great food

Best Thai in FiDi (And Maybe The city)

I absolutely love this place, from the ambience and service to the super tasty food. I usually get a Panang Curry and it's amazing. I've tried many Thai places in the city and Lil Chef Mama has the best fried tofu and the best edamames EVER

Absolutely LOVE Lil Chef Mama! I would consider this a hidden gem of FiDi. They make beautiful handmade dumplings that are unmatched. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options that are delicious!

This was my first time dining in for lunch. The service is top notch, and the food was delicious. I will definitely dine in again, but will also make this one of my lunch time staples for pick-up orders.

No high chairs

Delicious food and friendly staff

Hands down, one of the best Thai restaurants in the tri state area

Delicious Thai food, we tried Pad Thai and Mushroom Chicken soup, both were amazing, and reasonably priced. I will highly recommend! P.S Even the plates were very unique :)

I’ve visited here about 3 times randomly for lunch! Since Summer when I stumbled upon it! The food is always good! And the service super polite! I get the shrimp pad Thai and a Thai green iced tea!

People also ask

Excellent environment, friendly service, great menu choices and really good for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free food at affordable prices. Will be back.

Everything we ordered was great but the massaman curry was really the standout! The decor is really nice - and it’s much more spacious inside than you’d think.

Great food, good team 👌

Terrific Thai food in the financial district close to Fulton Market & the Seaport. We tried the Hand Folded veggie dumplings, which were excellent. The Pad Sieew (rice noodles with shrimp) was quite good, although on the sweeter side. The deep fried calamari was as well very good. Finally, the morning glory was extremely good. The restaurant was fairly busy but the food came out pretty quickly. The air con was on full blast, so we were freezing until we had it turned off. Overall, highly recommended for Thai food in FiDi.

Espectaculares dumplings, platos con sabores muy bien definidos. Los vermicelli con leche de coco y gambas merecen un premio

Great food and attention! Very recommendable place. Best place for lunch!

I got take out Pad Thai here and really enjoyed it. I wish I would’ve sat inside because the ambience was very welcoming and homey when I picked it up.

Delicious meal (soup: Tom Yam with prawns/shrimps; Entre: Pad Thai with beef), kind and friendly service in a relaxed calming setting. Definitely recommend, and look forward to returning!

My wife is extremely picky about Asian food and absolutely could not say enough good things about this place. Very cool ambiance, great service, and every plate we had (morning glory, dumplings, papaya salad, and Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) was really really good. If you’re looking for some great Thai food, have to try this restaurant.

Lovely food. Discovered by chance but thoroughly enjoyed!

cute

All dishes we ordered were excellent

Best Thai food in the Financial District!

The staff is super friendly and the food is great. I love Thai food and think this might be the best Thai I’ve had.

Great pad thai and pineapple fried rice – both were with fried tofu (love that you are able to select between fried or steamed), which was excellent! Lovely atmosphere as well - definitely want to come back!

This is the best green curry in NYC that I have found, so far. It stands far above the rest to a significant degree. Some may not agree, but green curry is the measure of quality when it comes to Thai food. Must try.

Also, this place is cool. Lil chef mama is a real person. She cares about her restaurant and ensures it’s quality. Service is friendly and ambience has its own unique character.

Keep up the great work!

Wow! From the beautiful ambience to the delicious food, this restaurant is 5 stars all through. The hosts are very friendly and the portions are also decent. Would definitely recommend, one of the best Thai spots in NYC.

What a cool restaurant! Not busy at all on a Sunday afternoon. Service was excellent. I had the pork pad see ew. The flavor was great and not overwhelmingly saucy like a lot of my Thai experiences. The noodles were perfectly cooked. Will very likely be back.

The ambiance is great and taste is quite amazing

Amazing experience. Staff were friendly, food was delicious and the atmosphere was beautiful! Definitely 10/10!

Fell in love with a new Thai restaurant named Lil Chef Mama in FIDI, Manhattan, NY.

My favorite was the #3 coconut noodle special with tofu and shrimp. Great service! They don't take reservations, but have a large space.

Indoor dining only. Credit or cash same price.

Large portions.

Near many subway lines.

This place has all the perks: great food, good service and a chill atmosphere. Overall my experience at lil chef mama was very enjoyable.

Best curry I had in my life. Cosy atmosphere. Excellent service! Do recommend!

Great atmosphere with fantastic service and phenomenal dishes.

Das Restaurant ist sehr schön eingerichtet und hat eine sehr gute und freundliche Art ihre Gäste zu empfangen. Wir haben mehrere Vorspeisen probiert, die wirklich sehr gut waren. Leider nur drei Sterne vergeben, weil die Hauptspeisen und zugleich die Spezialitäten im Haus nicht gut vorbereitet waren. Ein Teller wurde mit einem halben Hähnchen angerichtet, der kaum Fleisch dran hatte und das andere Teller hatte so viel Fleisch und wenig Gemüse, dass es eher nach einem amerikanischen Gericht als ein Thai Gericht ausgesehen hat. Ich persönlich würde das Restaurant nur aufsuchen wollen, wenn ich keine andere Wahl habe.

The restaurant is very nicely decorated and has a very good and friendly way of welcoming their guests. We tried several appetizers, which were really very good. Unfortunately, only three stars awarded because the main courses and at the same time the specialties in the house were not well prepared. One plate was served with half a chicken that had hardly any meat on it and the other plate had so much meat and few vegetables that it looked more like an American dish than a Thai dish. Personally, I would only want to go to the restaurant if I had no other choice.

Beautiful and excellent thai food! Nice staff. Kind with us and kids. Wide choice of authentic thai food. Nice location too.

I was never really a fan of Thai food. Never craved it. Never understood what others found so appealing about the flavors. And now I know why. Because all the places I've ever tried have been mediocre if not outright bland. But whew man, I can't tell you how wrong I've been about Thai food. It's delicious!! At least it is at this particular restaurant. If this is half of what the food is like in Thailand, I'm really looking forward to visiting!

Given the name, I thought it was an Italian joint. Lol. Walking in, I couldn't be more wrong if I tried. The decor is very "Thai", adorable, beautiful and tastefully done. I guess "tasteful" is subjective, but I don't care. I say it's tasteful, so it's tasteful. I have spoken! Lol. Excellent vibe in this joint.

We had the chicken sate (their peanut sauce is bomb!!!), shrimp pad thai, chicken basil and a couple of Thai iced teas for lunch. All delicious! The chicken basil dish says it's "spicy". It's not. Lol. I should have asked if their spice level was "Asian" spicy or "American" spicy. It was still really good even if it lacked that nice kick of heat. I can imagine it being outstanding if it was Asian spicy.

Did I take pictures? Nope. Should I have taken pictures? Probably. But I've been trying to be more "present" when I'm out to eat with people and keep the phone in my bag. Maybe next time! Will there be a next time? Hell freakin' yes. I'm looking forward to it.

They take credit cards and would prefer a cash tip. I understand it. I always like to give a cash tip when I can. And they deserve the tip. Very attentive without being overbearing. They make good suggestions. Nice friendly people.

Love this place!

Excellent accueil , endroit agréable , bien décoré , personnel au top , plats excellents , tout près au retour du pont de brooklyn

Loved the food! Ordered dumplings, pad kee mao and red curry. Everything was good. Pad kee mao was a little bland but wasn’t bad at all. The vibe was quite nice. I’d recommend this place :)

Amazing Asian food!!

Old, or bad meat definitely not fresh as the commercial claims

Awesome cozy friendly place. Staff great. Food authentic and amazing. It’s not super crowded (not sure why). My favorite downtown Thai spot

Canceled plans at another place and found this place at the last minute. Didn’t bother with pics because I thought this was just “another Thai place” but I was wrong in the best way. Very spacious and clean, tables nicely spaced apart and you don’t feel like other people are on top of you. Pad kee mao is fairly spicy and accurately described. Chive cakes are very crispy and soft on the inside, not too heavy. I thought I had every pad Thai there is in the city, but theirs is not too sweet or saucy. The shrimp is PERFECTLY cooked and cleaned, juicy and perfect bite. Everything tasted fresh. Bathrooms very clean and spacious. Service was very attentive and consistent throughout. Unassuming location on a side street by the seaport but don’t overlook it!!! Definitely eating here when I’m craving Thai in the area

Reviewed near end of brunch time.
Ambiance. Looks more upscale than the prices of the food. Very high ceiling should cut down on the noise. Also the ceiling lights really made the restaurant hi class. Most places have garish florescent lights over your head. Harsh.
Hopefully the bar area will have an intimate atmosphere and lightning. Bar was closed as I was the last customer. They close after brunch at 3:30 pm

Food. Late Brunch time. I had Eggplant & Tofu and it was fully 5 stars. Loved it. For meat I had the Chicken Satee (satay) which came with 2 sauces. I tasted both both by itself. They were both very good. I also tested the white meat chicken by itself & I was surprised that it didn't need any more flavour as the meat was already delicately flavoured.
I enjoyed getting 4 different flavours by eating the satay with and without the sauces as well as dipping in both before tasting it.
Next, I'll try the beef which has more flavor than white meat chicken.
I plan to check the bar area at dinner time.

Good Thai restaurant. Nice place

Love this spot!! Food is amazing and atmosphere is 💯

Best ice tea ever and best Thai in the area

Highly recommend the pad see yew.

The wok hei (char) on the noodles is exactly the amount you want. The fried tofu isn't soggy or chewy on the inside like some other restaurants.

Takeout Pad See Ew was dry and flavorless. Curry was good though.

This place is a hidden gem in FiDi. The food is very flavorful and delicious. The atmosphere is very cozy (great for date night) and relaxing, and the staff are wonderful.

This is the best Thai food I have found in NYC. After discovering this place, I have noticed how bland the food at other Thai restaurants in nyc is. My BF and I order or eat out from here at least once a week. I highly recommend the green curry with fried tofu, pad kee mao and the sliders.

Amazing food. The shrimp Pad See Ew is sooo good, it’s charred a bit in a wok and comes out amazing

Lil Chef Mama is one of my favorite local Thai spots in Fidi.
Plenty of space to eat in with friends.
We enjoyed the chicken satay, pad see ew and panang curry.
Been a few times and always enjoy.

Pad thai not cooked long enough. Was way too chewy. Flavor not bad though. Pad kee mao no flavor, one mushroom, one string bean. Was a very mediocre meal

phenomenal food and service

Really good Thai food!!! The walk was 15 mins from Brooklyn bridge, and it was worth it. It is a bit hidden but definitely worth exploring.

It has a very good ambiance. The food is very nice. We had mussamun curry which is served with rice on the side. It was really a good choice. The awesome music playing in the background was a cherry on the cake.

Outside not much lights and it look small. Inside is cosy and food is good

Beautiful, quaint, thai restaurant with lots of vegetarian options in financial district! The servers are very friendly and ambience is amazing!

Absolutely phenomenal, what a find! Adorable place with lovely floral decor, spaced out tables, an open kitchen, and even some split level seating.

The food was INCREDIBLE. The Honey Moo Slider with grilled honey glazed pork loin was one of the best things I've ever eaten. Also had the pineapple fried rice which was delicious, and my friend ordered the chicken puff pastry and panang curry, both of which were also perfectly spiced and super tasty. Drank a Thai iced tea that was just the right level of sweet!

Prices were very affordable for the portion sizes and service was excellent. What a hidden gem, I'll definitely be back!

We love this place! It's unassuming from the street but magical inside, with a cute collection of stuffed bears under a raised eating area.

Speaking of eats, the food is incredible from staples to specialty dishes. Definitely worth a trip!!!

Love this place, food is good, vibe is great!

The Thai style fried rice is excellent. My kids loved it ("amazing").
I went inside to pick up the food. I agree with other reviewers that this place is a hidden gem. So big and pretty inside!

Delicious pad thai in a cute and cozy space!

Very generous portion and friendly service. High recommended.

Absolutely delicious, and a really nice decor.

Shrimp dumplings starter is amazing, and the noodles of the Pad Seeyew are so soft and delicious!

Fantastic gem. You absolutely can’t see it from any street and even if you walk down the block you will miss it. It’s so cozy in the inside and surprisingly beautiful. Lots of flowers and string lights. The vibe is worth a visit. The food is so delicious. I had the beef pad sieew and it was one of the best I’ve had. Also had mini pan fried pork dumplings that were delicious.

Excellent service and atmosphere here.

Sliders and dumplings were amazing!! The staff is super kind and attentive, and the restaurant itself is very nice and well-decorated! We felt very welcomed

I have four stars until they get a real liquor liscence to make cocktails. The food is really delightful. Spicy kee Mao and pad see eew were both yummy as well. Try the dumpling and the beef satay with the peanut sauce. I returned and tried the pad Thai with a sake yuzu drink and it was just way I needed. They charge for extra peanut sauce. I asked for broccoli instead of string beans and they acted like it was the end of the world then did it anyway. In the summer ok but, the heat is not distributed equally. It depends on where they seat you. You can be either hot or cold.

This looks to be a new restaurant from the proprietors of Thai Sliders on John Street that closed. The food was delicious. The space is decorated to make you feel like you are somewhere other than a side street in FIDI. I'm happy I found out about it

שירות נעים אווירה טובה אוכל טעים אם כי קצת מתוק ומותאם יתר על המידה לקהל האמריקאי על חשבון אותנטיות

Absolutely delicious, the pork bun was full flavor with savory moist pork bursting with excellence. The shrimp rolls were hot snd crispy, served with a slightly spiced dipping sauce complimenting the crispy flake and moist shrimp. The red chicken curry was fan fu$king tastic, the chicken and vegetables moist but not over cooked. The sauce was the highlight, it was creamy and reduced into a creamy nappe that coated the mouth with rich flavors of spice and coconut. Service was great and the ambience was very nice. I'm drunk but this was delicious

Been in FiDi for a year and a half and just now tried Lil Chef Mama. Kicking ourselves for not coming sooner! WE COULD HAVE BEEN ENJOYING IT THIS WHOLE TIME?!?!?

The best Karee puffs I had and I also like their country noodles, Spicy pork belly soup. Yummy 😋

I love the food and the staff is wonderful.

UPDATE: 11/10/22

I originally gave this restaurant 4 stars the first time I visited. I dined here again on 11/10/22 with a work friend of mine. I didn't want to return here after the last time where the waitress approached me asking for a tip. Something was amiss with the food and the beef satay was horrible. This was all the confirmation I needed to never return here.

Is recommended the pork belly soup.

Music was too loud for me.

Delicious hands down.

Average

I loved the food here, nice authentic decor too! Lovely staff and all round amazing atmosphere

This place was a pleasant little surprise. It is hidden in a busy area but once you enter the serene environment, you kind of forget the outside world.

The service was great! The wait staff were vey attentive to us and helpful with the menu as this was our first time here.

The food was INCREDIBLE! The best part was definitely how flavorful everything was for us. Noodles were cooked and very tender. The red chili pepper was not overpowering in the dishes and surprisingly, the food was not very heavy even though there was a lot. We definitely will be going back!

My FAVORITE Thai place in NYC! I live in UES and have tried every Thai place near me, only to be disappointed that it is not as good as Lil Chef Mama. Their Tom Kha soup is to die for. I would eat it everyday if I could (if it was closer to me). Their service is also really great and the interior is clean and beautiful.

The braised pork slider is to die for and only $6

Green Curry is excellent

The restaurant doesn’t look very impressive from outside but it’s roomy and comfortable inside. We had the pork and shrimp fritter as our appetizer. It was really good.
The pad Thai and pineapple fried rice were delicious.

The cutest ambiance, great service, delicious food. Will be back!

The lunch vegetable red curry was really good. A bit on the spicy side but still edible. The Thai ice tea was also very good.

Lil chef mama is the best Thai in the neighborhood. Everyone who works there is so friendly and the service is amazing. Such a great place!

Passed by this near work so many times since it looks nondescript from outside. But i took a friend there for lunch and was most impressed. Once you walk in the place looks lovely and the food was delicious!! Going back!!!!

10/10 best Thai in NYC, love this place!!!

Beautiful ambience and delicious food. The service was quick.

Fun, pleasant ambiance and great food! Highly recommend this hidden gem.

Have been here twice and have enjoyed it. Great flavors and service!

everybody was very nice and the food was delicious. The toilets were the best i’ve ever been in. ist very cool herr

What a hidden gem! NYC Thai food is overcrowded but wow, why try to secure a hard to get reservation when you can get amazing food here for cheaper and better taste

Amazing authentic Thai cuisine. Such a large space too and great ambiance. I would say this restaurant tops even more famous nyc Thai restaurants (I’ve tried it all). Location is in Cliff street which makes it hard to find but it’s amazing, we got the basil stir fry, Thai iced tea, and pad kee mhaw - 10/10

Love the food. Seems authentic. Nice wait staff and reasonable prices.

Delicious! Wonderful atmosphere and lovely decor. Had the pad Thai and Thai tea, great flavors.

A great place. The food is delicious and affordable, the ambience is well curated and the staff is kind.