Bodhi Tree

Really yummy place! I definitely think this has potential to go up to a five star rating once I’ve tried more things on the menu.
The highlight of my meal today was the shrimp pumpkin dumplings appetizer. They were SOOO yummy (it tastes exactly how it sounds). I especially loved the pumpkin purée drizzled over the dumplings. I was basically licking the plate when all the dumplings were gone. This appetizer came with four dumplings. I ordered this with a salad, and got pretty full (price was also pretty good: $ 13 + tip and it was for dinner too!).
I got a mango salad today, which was also pretty good, but not mind blowing. I loved everything on the salad except the dressing. However, I have yet to eat a salad at a Thai restaurant that doesn’t have that fish sauce/​vinegar-​y dressing on it. I should have asked for the dressing on the side. Regardless, still yummy and filling.
My boyfriend got a duck item on the spicy part of the menu (I can’t remember exactly what it was called though). It came with a bowl of jasmine rice and a large portion of duck. The meat was juicy, flavorful and tender.
Other items on the menu sounded really interesting (like the glazed salmon on taro rice – what I plan on getting next time) and also had really cute/​funny names. The waiters and waitresses were prompt, respectful and nice. We were seated immediately.
This place was exactly what we were looking for. I can’t wait to come back and try out some more stuff on the menu!

This is a story of bad service.
We came during a hot day and they have the folding window open, and without AC it’s kind of hot. I guess it’s normal in the village, it’s the norm.
Me and my gal sat down and looked at the menu. I just don’t have appetite when it’s hot, so I only ordered a cold drink. She ordered chicken fried rice lunch special, it comes with two small appetizers and an entrée, which they claim is a good deal.
After a few minutes, a waiter with tattoos all over his arm came over and told us that we can’t get the 1 lunch special unless we order 2 lunch specials (we can’t share) because it already cheap. Problem is I don’t want anything, so I told the guy just make it a regular size fried rice, we don’t want the lunch special. He went away, my gf think I wasn’t clear, so we ask for another waiter and talk to him. We told him we don’t want the lunch special b/​c we can’t get it since we only order one, we just want the regular size. This waiter left and came back with «the lunch special» and I just knew things went wrong.
We told him again we don’t want it because we are not allow to get it, and we just want the regular size fried rice, which he said the kitchen is cooking.
So what happen was that the tattoo guy thought I wanted to add a regular size fried rice on top of the lunch special… He came over with the regular size, and I told him again that we didn’t want the lunch special since you won’t let us just order one. Obviously he was pissed and he keep saying I ordered both. He looked mad for a second and said «take care» and took the lunch special away, he just went to sit at the bar again. I think what happen is that our first waiter already input the lunch special and kitchen started cooking already and the tattoo guy just have to intervene and make things worse, it wasn’t written anywhere that you have to order two lunches. And you can definitely guess right that lunch didn’t taste so good after the little argument. I didn’t eat but from the look of my gf, it’s just taste as good as others Thai places
Now I don’t think it’s fair what he did, it was not professional of him. And he even get mad at a customer? I hope he see this review, this is my thoughts man.
PS that strawberry soda was really good, I liked it, perfect for a hot day

I’ve been going to Bodhi Tree for three years now and I continue to love the diverse food options. I took a few friends here a couple of times and all of them have claimed that it’s one of the best pad thai they’ve ever had. I’m still a huge fan of their pad thai even though sometimes I find it a bit heavy — but that goes for all thai food. They have a new «OMG Pad Thai» that is very good and the classic Pad See Ew is always a good option :)
Oh and be sure to try the Thai Iced Tea!

Cute place! came here for lunch one Sunday with a group of friends — tried their pad thai, which had slightly savorier kick to it than its normal sweeter taste. I liked it. This place is worth a try — clean bathroom, nice décor, attentive service.

Finally got to try this place in person and not just through takeout. This place is great. Ambiance is nice, the woman staff was fronting the restaurant was really nice, but the guy that was carrying cups back and forth from the kitchen and brings out your food, is a mean ass guy that doesn’t talk and gives you a really crappy vibe.
The food is really good though so I would still recommend this place. :)

I generally like mediocre Thai food but this was particularly meh. I went on one of the weeknights where they have a crazy cheap special, I wish I could remember the price but my friend and I both got extremely cheap (like $ 5 or $ 7 or something) pad thai for dinner. We split an order of the curry puffs, which were very bland. The tofu pad thai was way too sweet, and wasn’t spicy even though I had requested extra spicy. I’ve had way, way better pad thai. The drinks had fun names but they were pretty weak and also too sweet. Also this place smelled kind of funny? Anyway, I might still try their famous lunch special but I was disappointed that this couldn’t become my go-​to mediocre Thai place (I miss Cafetasia, obviously I don’t have high standards).

Went with the See Yew Black Noodles Lunch Special [Vegetable and Tofu, Taro Wonton, Dumpling with Peanut Sauce] for $ 7.95 pickup via Grubhub* (rude staff). Quantity for cheap (greasy and satisfying), not quality for value (clean and elegant); they may be open @ 11:30 but don’t accept orders until 12.
There’s an inspection part of site and it was a B
but I didn’t check that against the window when arriving. Their farm was on Food Curated.
*They phrase and order things differently for app1 and app2 choices (though it’s optional you can select ‘none’ for app2)

Had just seen «Avengers: Age Of Ultron» at the Regal Cinemas on 13^th Street and after the essential pop in to Forbidden Planet NY my buddy and I were looking for something to eat. We decided that this time we would bypass the usual 13^th Step since we were not drinking and thanks to the assist from a Forbidden Planet staffer we were directed to Bodhi Tree down on Third Avenue.
It was shortly after the lunch rush so had plenty of tables for a quick sit down. The lunch special menu was still in play so I ordered a chicken pad thai and two of the appetizers since it came with this. I opted for dumplings in peanut sauce and vegetable dumplings. My friend chose a tofu dish and similar dumplings. For drinks I had the always adventurous Sprite while he had a seltzer.
The food arrived quickly and was a nicely sized portion for a lunch menu. Everything was super tasty and needed no enhancement in terms of spice or salt and pepper. I did not leave hungry.
Visually the space is very comfortable and has a sufficient space between each table so you are not on top of each other. This could easily change to accommodate more dinners as the need arises. The owner of the establishment was present and checking in on the diners which was nice to see as well. When the check came it ran us about $ 15 apiece and this included the tip.
I’ll definitely be back for some food here and I’ve already suggested to a few friends that this is a nice choice. I wish them well in their continuing to serve the LES.

I will say I’m biased because my freshmen year dorm was two blocks away and this food gave me comfort. The waitresses knew my order when they saw me… It was that kind of place for me.
$ 7 lunch special:
I mean it’s seven dollars… We love money saving meals.
I usually order the spring rolls & calamari with drunken noodles. It’s a solid meal and it got me through freshmen year of college.
Not lunch deal time? … Order:
Red curry–
there is a creaminess from the coconut milk that mixes well with the hint of spice/​tang from the seasonings and fresh vegetables
3^rd avenue crab meat fried rice–
I never order fried rice because my mom always said, «we can make it at home. Don’t waste money» (but in korean obviously).
Anyway, I did order this once because the server highly recommended it. The soft shell crab added a great buttery crunch to the rest of the dish and I could not stop eating it! Addicting dish.
Drunken Noodle:
I order this dish at every Thai restaurant. I love the texture of the broad, flat noodles, smothered in a wonderfully aromatic basil spicy sauce. It’s my Thai guilty pleasure, go-​to noodle dish. I ask for it extra spicy with tofu & vegetables to help lighten up the heavier noodle counterpart.
Lychee Martini:
On the sweeter side. I would only get it for the happy hour price.
Overall, since college I’ve maybe gone back. Once a year. Soo make your own conclusions.
If they do delivery now, this would be the perfect place to order from, my seamless friends!

This is a small place, very casual.
I was in here two weeks ago before I went to volunteer at a school nearby. What attracted me to this place was the lunch specials. For $ 7.95 you get two appetizers and an entrée. For my lunch special, I ordered spring rolls and crab parcels. And for my entrée, I had the spicy basil noodles (pad see yew) with shrimp. I also got a bottle of Sapporo Japanese beer. The appetizers came out in less than ten minutes. After I had eaten the crab parcels was when I got someone’s attention to ask for hot sauce. I was given that jar of Asian red pepper sauce with the seeds.
The noodles had chopped scallions, diced red bell peppers and diced green peppers. The noodles were of a non-​uniform shape and there were about 4 or 5 medium sized shrimp. Everything was flavorful. The spicy basil noodles did have spice and heat but not enough for me so that is what I asked for the hot sauce.

Definitely a fan of this place! I came for dinner with my friend and this place was great!
Between 5−7pm, noodle dishes are 50% off!
I ordered the chicken drunken noodles and my friend got the beef pineapple fried rice. I really enjoyed the noodles, super filling!
Between the good service, the small comforting atmosphere, the price, and the food, I’ll be back here the next time I’m craving Thai!

Came here during lunch and it was pretty busy. The venue was medium sized. I had ordered the box set which comes with 2 appetizers and protein (with white rice) or if you choose a rice/​noodles dish that would replace it. Overall, decent for the price. FYI they don’t take Amex cards and don’t split the bill with more than 1 credit card.

3
Dollar
Chang happy
Hour. Service
Was fine. Good lunch option. Takes reservations.

Great Thai option in the east village!
We came here famished after a yoga class nearby and were happy to be promptly seated. We were adventurous and ordered apps we’ve never tried before and were very happy with our selections. The taro wontons are addictive. Give it a second cuz they come out pretty much straight out from the fryer. Crispy outside and rich purple taro yumminess on the inside. The steamed shrimp dumplings topped with pumpkin/​coconut sauce was really tasty too. It has chunks of pumpkin… So ready for the fall… Bring on the pumpkin everything!
We weren’t too original for our entrees and both ordered our favorite… Pad Thai. I got shrimp and the hub got it with beef. The plates came just as I saw in pictures on Unilocal… Plentiful, not too dry or wet with the sauce. It was the right level of sweet and my shrimp did not have a fishy taste or smell so they were fresh. We both devoured our plates and were very satisfied. As I mentioned, great Thai option in the area. Try an app or 2, you won’t be disappointed!

In a city full of Thai restaurants, Bodhi Tree really stands out as a casual, unpretentious Thai food spot with a clean, elegant ambience.
Per the recommendation of a friend, we stopped by here on a hot day and immediately opted for Thai iced tea, veggie spring rolls, chicken pad thai and tofu pad kee mao — boring choices, I know, but the idea of hot spicy curry in 90-​degree weather was very unappetizing.
All the items tasted wonderful, but my favorite was the pad kee mao. They initially messed up our order and brought out a chicken pad kee mao, but were very quick to fix it and brought out the tofu option quickly thereafter.
I’m a huge fan of this place, and after learning about their weekday lunch specials I’m looking forward to stopping by since I’ll be in the area for school on most days.

Bodhi Tree was pretty darn solid. This is a 3.5 rounded down. The flavors were pretty good but the food quality was a little low. The prices were alright for lunch special but I would recommend other places. Nice owner and workers but definitely have had better.
However the gold star here is the dumpling appetizer. That’s probably the best Thai dumplings I’ve had in a while!

$ 7.95 two appetizers and an entrée — yes please! Especially in NY when a hamburger costs more then this lunch.
Very clean environment, friendly service. The food was delicious and I was very happy with the amount you get for the price.
Enjoy!

2.5 stars.
Tried this place tonight with my academy girls. We got there about 6ish, and the place was still empty. For appetizers, we split the curry puffs and the shrimp+chicken dumplings in peanut sauce. We were all in the mood for noodles — they both got pad se yews and I ordered the drunken noodles with shrimp.
The dumplings were.eh. The skin was too soggy and mushy tasting. The filling was indiscernible. The peanut sauce definitely saved it. I wasn’t a big fan of the curry puffs, either. The puffs were also mushy and the filling was skimpy and bland. My drunken noodles however, was pretty good. Standard. Decent portion size, mild kick, plenty of shrimp.
Service declined as the night went on. The place definitely filled up and there were only two waitresses working the floor and the bar.
Pricier than other Thai spots for a mediocre meal (although their lunch special is supposedly a steal.) Skip this place and head to Thai Terminal a few blocks away instead — my go to Thai spot in the area.

Pretty standard Thai food, as the menu here is more or less identical to menus in most generic Thai spots in NYC.
I got the calamari and the dumplings in peanut sauce. The calamari was good, but nothing special. The dumplings, however, were really delicious, especially the peanut sauce. You should definitely get this!!!
As for the entrees, I got the drunken noodles with duck. The noodles itself were good, but the duck was kind of overcooked/​charred so I didn’t enjoy that part as much. My boyfriend got the beef spicy basil fried rice, which was actually really good!
Other than the charred duck, this is a good spot to check out if you’re craving Thai!

I had higher expectations for Bodhi Tree, unfortunately. All the rave reviews seem to be for their lunch special, which I don’t have the honor of having since I don’t work anywhere near EV :(
I came for dinner with a friend visiting town… prices are on the steeper side for their «exotic» dishes. I ordered the first dish on the exotic menu, which was the fish with lime (not sure of the exact name, but see pic below). I was hoping this would have a rich sauce, but instead it’s a sour fish sauce sort of like the Vietnamese «nuoc mam,» which consists of fish sauce, lime, chili, and fresh garlic. The fish was well cooked, but the whole dish itself was just not what I had imagined it being. It also goes cold within minutes. It’s also very sour, so beware if you don’t like tangy entrees! Should have gone for the duck!
If you want to be boring, you can go for the cheaper «classics» menu they also have for dinner.
For a $ 20+ meal, I’m afraid I’d rather go elsewhere.

Je né connaissais pas du tout ce thaï qui se trouve dans le East Village. Ça n’était pas mauvais du tout. La formule du midi est économe. $ 8 pour un plat et 2 appetizers. Ça fait 9 – 10 dollars avec le pourboire. Ça n’a pas l’air beaucoup à première vue mais une fois que tout est mangé, on est bien rempli!
Les pad thaï sont très bonnes, je trouve. Les nems sont assez basiques, par contre, mais ça reste bien pour le prix. Les serveurs sont très attentionnés à toujours remplir les verres, c’est un endroit sympa pour déjeuner en moins d’une heure si vous êtes un peu pressés ou même plus longtemps si vous le voulez